No Turning Back
by The Omni
Summary: This is a story about a young man named Triest, the secret of his past, and what him and his best friend Link do to overcome when it comes to haunt them both.
1. Prolgue and Chapter 1: A New Job

**_Prologue  
_**It's been almost two years since the incident. My memory has completely returned and life seems normal for now, but I can't help but wonder that something will go wrong, and soon. Until then, though, I'll simply have to take life as it comes. It's worked for me in the past, and I know it will continue to work for me in the future. After all, I'm never going to change, I am who I am. My name is Triest, and no matter what, I will never turn back no matter _how _life tries to face me!

**_Chapter 1: A New Job  
_**"Hey, Link! Wake up! Time to eat!" Came a voice from inside a quaint little house.  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," came a response. The house was located just south of the grand Hyrule Castle. It overlooked a nearby swamp and was but a 15 minute walk away from the nearby villiage of Kakariko.  
"So, awake yet?" Said a young man, about 17 years of age, wearing a pair of black jeans, and a black t-shirt over an extremely tough armored plate. He wore an overshirt with a black background and white dragon silouettes on it. He wore biker gloves, and had a sword on his right and a projectile weapon he fashioned himself to his left. He leaned in a chair against a table with a smirk on his face. Another warrior lumbered into the room half-asleep. "Barely awake, huh? Things haven't changed much in the month I've been gone!" He cracked.   
"Shut up, Triest. I'm out of bed, right? That counts," He said. This warrior was about 18 and wore a green tunic, with a large arsenal at his disposal. He keps a sword, shield, and quiver fasened to the back of his tunic. His boots were worn from over use and he wore gauntlets with a gold plate on the top.  
"Heh, typical, Link. Typical. Hey, we got a letter in the mail today." Said Triest, holding up a piece of paper.  
"Really? What's it say?"  
" 'Triest and Link, please come to Hyrule Castle. I have an important mission for the both of you. Signed, Princess Zelda.' Sounds pretty interesting, don't you think?"  
"Heh, well then, let's go! No since in waiting right? What else is there to do here?" When Triest was about to answer, Link had already left.  
"Heh. He's got the hots for Zelda," Triest looked down, then walked outside. He assumed Link was already at the castle's doors. After a quick 5 min. walk, Triest ran into Link, waiting impatiently at the castle, arms folded across his chest. 

"What took you?" I've been waiting here for what seemed like an hour!" Link protested.  
"Heh. I know how much you wanna see Zelda, but we..."  
"Hey, get off of that again, man! I told you she's..." Link's voice suddenly trailed off. Triest looked toward the castle's doors, and sure enough, Zelda was walking down through the castle garden.  
"Hello, boys. How's the morning been?" She said to them. Link couldn't talk, so Triest did the talking for him.  
"Ehh, it woulda been better if Link didn't oversleep!"  
"Hey! I told you when to wake me up, Triest!"  
"And you expected me to do it?"  
"Oh, man, it was always like this with you!" The argument was soon brought up by Zelda chuckling in the background. Soon, all three of them,were laughing.  
"Okay, guys. Let's head to the throne room so I can tell you about your new mission," she said. They all headed into the throne room and prepared for the day's activities.

The throne room of the castle was one of the most beautiful rooms in the castle. The floor was carpeted with design freaturing different shades of pink, and there was a red carpet leading to the throne with torches on each side. The walls were gold with blue curtains hanging from the cieling, and behind the thrones was a large ornamental shelf displaying two golden swords crossed.  
"Ok, now then, here's what your mission is for today. There has been a monster terrorizing the citizens of Kakariko, and they want it gone. There is a reward of 300 rupees if you can accomplish this task," Zelda said. Link and Triest gave out a long sigh. Bowed to the princess, then walked out of the castle. As they stopped by their house to gather supplies, Triest started to complain.  
"Man, why are we always getting stuck with lame duties like monster slaying? I want a real challenge!" Triest complained as he put on a knapsack.  
"Quit your whining, Triest. We're in a time of peace right now. You should cherish it. They don't come often."  
"Yeah, you're right, but sometimes, I just want more, ya know?"  
"I know, man. Come on, let's get this over with and collect out pay."  
"Ok. Let's do it."  
The two left their house and headed for the village of Kakariko. When they arrived, a beast known as Mothula was torturing the village. Link smiled and said, "Just another day at the office, huh?"  
"Yup. Let's hurry up and get to work!" The two unsheathed their swords and prepared for battle.


	2. That's the way Life Goes

**_Chapter 2: That's the Way Life Goes  
_**The Beast known as Mothula look exactly was it sounded. It was a bug. A very big bug. It was black with one yellow eye and wings that were glowing different shades of green. Link and Triest simply chuckled as it scared around the villagers, who all hid in their houses. Link pulled out his boomerang and used it to clip down the beast's wings while Triest hid in some bushes behind it. After the wings were clipped, Triest charged up behind the beast and slammed his sword right into his back. The monster froze, and Triest pulled the sword out. "Aww, man! I gots the monster's guts on me sword," Triest said jokingly, giving his voice a wierd accent.  
"Aww, stop your whining, come on, let's go collect our pay," Link said.  
"Hold up, man. Let's hang around here a little, first. I've got some spare rupees I've been saving."  
"Are you serious? Triest, you can't always spend our money! You aren't going to win with that! You're only gonna lose!"  
"_Our_ money? I found this on the floor outside our house, so it's mine. Now then, if you'll pardon me, I'm off to the games!" Triest walked into a nearby house, which was playing a lot of music.  
"Man. Aw well. I'll just take in the sights I guess." Link looked around as the villagers started coming out of their homes. Kakariko was the most populated location in Hyrule, and for good reason. To the north of the village was a windmill which Link chuckled at when he saw. It was formerly the resting place of the "Bird of the Flute Boy" who carried him places on one of his journeys. The streets were paved with a concrete and it made up most of the village. Some people had gardens growing out in front of their houses. Link walked by a nearby peddler up some stairs, and saw the former hideout of Blind the Thief and the elder, Sahasrahla's house. He chuckled and remembered some good times with the residents there. He headed down to the local bar and treasure game, where Triest was. He headed in through the back door, because that led directly to the treasure game, and he didn't want to have to mess with the drunks. He had done it once before, and it hadn't been pretty.  
"Hey, Triest! You in here?" He hollered. He saw Triest talking to a young woman about his age. Link walked up to them and asked,  
"Having fun, loverboy?" Triest looked at the young woman, who smiled, and replied,  
"Yes. As a matter of fact, I am!"  
"Sorry to break it up, then," Link said, "But we've got to go and collect our pay."  
"Already? Come on, man! Jeez. You go. I'm good." Triest held up a bag of rupees.  
"You're kidding me, right?"  
"Nope. Just ask my good friend, Kaitlin here,"  
"It's true! I saw him win with my own two eyes!" She replied overenthusiastically. Link put his hands on his head.  
"Ok, man. Just don't spend it all in one place. I'm heading over to the castle. Let's meet home at around 6:00."  
"Sounds good, later." Triest gave Link a little salute as he walked through the door, and continued talking to Kaitlin, "So, like I was saying, I went crazy mad with power, and..."

Link slowly headed toward the castle gates. He looked around at the garden to his left and right, then locked his eyes on the door. "Ok, man. You can do this. It's not hard. Just, focus. Think of the positives. Like...Triest isn't here! Yeah, he can't interrupt me! or crack jokes! Man, this'll be sweet. Just me and Zelda!" Link gave a big smile as he thought of this, then shook it off when he knocked on the door. A guard answered, and Link told him where he was going. The guard allowed him to pass, and Link bolted to the throne room. Zelda was looking at the ornamental shelf with great interest, and didn't even hear Link walk up.  
"Uhh, Zelda?" Link said nervously. She jumped, not knowing he was there.  
"Oh, Link! Hi! Did you defeat the monster? And where's Triest?" she replied anxiously.  
"Aw, you know him. He's out partying. And yes, we won. It was a little too easy, though." Link winked at her.  
She blushed a little, as did he. It was apparant that she liked him as well. Zelda was about the same age as Link, give or take a year or so. She wore a long dress, a light purpleish on top and pink on the bottom, and it ran all the was to her feet. She wore decorations all over. On her shoulders, she had gold plates that connected in the front. She had on long sleeves, thin, but long, and gloves made of the same material. Sewn to the bottom half of her dress was a piece of material that had the symbol of the Royal Family along with other various markings, and upon her head was a tiara made of pure gold with a jewel on the forehead. To Link, it couldn't get any better than that!  
"So, I guess you would like your pay now, if I'm not mistaken?" She said with a witty tone.  
"Uh, yeah. That would be nice." Link nervously responded.  
"Well, I'm afraid you're not going to get it!" Zelda playfully retorted.  
"Why not?"  
"Simply put, you haven't earned it!"  
"Haven't earned it? What do you mean? We beat that monster like it was yesterday's news! And it was today!"  
"I still don't think you're worthy enough."  
"But..." Link paused mor a minute and finally noticed the smirk on Zelda's face. Finally, he got it. _She wants to ask me out!_ he excitedly thought.  
"Okay, Princess, what can I do to prove to you my worth?" He slyly asked.  
"Oh, I think you know..." She coyly responded.  
"Ok. I'll be happy to. If you think you can handle it!"  
"Oh, believe me, I can! Now then, I'm gonna go freshen up. Be right back!"  
As Zelda headed through one of the curtains toward her room, Link thought to himself, 1_'Man, I had better not mess this up. This might be the only chance I get to go out with her. Ok. I need to be calm, cool, and..._ Link's thoughts were interrupted when Zelda walked back through the door.  
"So," she put her hands on her hips, "whatdya think?" Link was speechless. _This can't be right! I thought we were going out on a date! Not to war!_ Link's reaction wasn't surprising at all. Zelda came out wearing a pink suit of armor with the Royal Family's Crest on the front. The armor covered her from neck down and she kept a sword holster on her back along with a quiver and Hylian Shield.  
"Zelda...what's going on..." Link asked, with an extremely confused look on his face.  
"I thought you wanted to go out with me," Zelda remarked.  
"Well yeah, but...well, I was thinking maybe a walk through the park or a nice dinner or something like that. I wanted to treat you nicely!" Zelda laughed at this comment.  
"Look, I appreciate your ideas, but I'm a princess. I get treated like that on a daily basis. So, I figured, 'hey, let's go on an adventure together! And Triest can come along, too!'" Link groaned.  
"Triest? he's cool and all, but why should he come along?" Zelda chuckled.  
"Just you wait. I've got something cooked up for him!" Link smiled, and the two walked hand in hand out of the castle. They were both smliling widely as they headed to Kakariko to find Triest.

Triest was living the life. He had met some new friends. Most of them women, who Triest was really happy to meet. He had found out some interesting information, as well, and decided to find Link and see if he wanted to join him on a quest. He was heading by the sanctuary when he saw Link walking toward him holding hands with a young girl about his age. Triest ran up to them and hollered, "Hey, Link! What's up?" As Triest slowed to a stop, Link responded, "Nothin' much. Just taking a walk with my friend here," pointing to Zelda.  
"Heh, 'friend' huh? I getcha. Nice job, man. She's a hottie!" Triest obviously didn't recognize Zelda . Both Link and Zelda started chuckling. Triest didn't seem to notice, so he started telling them about the quest he heard about.  
"Ok, I ran into this old man outside of the Treasure Game and he told me about a Waterfall of Wishing, but much more powerful and magical about the one by Zora's Waterfall. It is said to be hidden in a far away land, and I think we should be the ones to find it!"  
"Cool! That sounds awesome! When do we leave?" Zelda asked anxiously.  
"Well, first we'll need to resupply, and...wait a second. Who said you were coming, girl?"  
"Link's bringing me along, right?" She looked at Link, who began to get nervous.  
"Uhh, well, yeah. I, uh did say that..."  
"Link! Come on, man! You can't let her get between us! We've got a reputation to uphold! What would people say?" Triest protested.  
"We might actually get more of a reputation when people find out that Zelda is travelling with us," Link replied, trying not to laugh. Triest had a blank look on his face. He looked like he was trying to put 2 and 2 together by his hand gestures. He double taked at Zelda's armor, more specifically at the Royal Family's crest, then it finally clicked.  
"Holy...You mean, you and her? Link? ...Zelda? ...She's? ...You're? ...Really?" He said confusingly. The two nodded then smiled at each other. They had been holding hands this whole time. Triest then started congratulating them both, then jumped up out of excitement and hit a low branch on a nearby tree and blacked out.  
"Man, I thought I was happy!" Link retorted. Zelda just laughed as Link picked Triest up and tossed him over his shoulder, and headed back to their place for some R & R before their adventure.


	3. The Quest Begins

**_Chapter 3: The Quest Begins  
_**"What? Where am I?" Triest sprung up from his bed to find himself in his room. He wondered what had happened for a second, but soon remembered, and was kind of embarrassed by it. He walked into the main room and was about to greet Link and Zelda, but noticed their eyes were locked together. He quickly his behind the door, and peered around the corner silently whispering to himself, "Come on man. Don't quit now!" The two started at each other for a bit, then Link slowly crept forward, Zelda closed her eyes, and Link started hollering, "Hah! I won! You lose!"  
"Man! You cheated! That's wrong!" Zelda complained. Triest fell anime-style and Link and Zelda went over to him. Triest got up and satmmered out of the building babbling things like, "A staring contest? That's weak." Unbeknownst to him, however, Zelda was giving Link a passionate kiss for winning the staring contest. Ironically, at about that same moment, Triest said to himself, "That guy's not going to get a kiss until he's 20."

After taking about a 20 min. walk, Triest returned to the house to get ready for the trip. Link and Zelda were talking and had already packed for him.  
"What took you so long?" Link asked rehtorically.  
"Just...Enjoying the scenery," Triest responded, grabbing his things, "I take it you guys are ready to go?" They all chuckled and headed out on their adventure.  
"So, Triest, where are we going?" Zelda queried.  
"To the Waterfall of Wishing near Zora's Waterfall," he replied, "It has been said that the two faeries are related."  
"Sounds good," Link remarked. They traveled past the rocky area east of Hyrule Castle, defeating some of the octoroks there for some fun and money. Octoroks are known to find rupees and other valuables along the ground in Hyrule. They soon reached the witch's place, signaling they were close. The witch lived in a simple hut with one of her assistants, but she was outside most of the time working on new potions. She was outside and, as usual, and greeted them as they walked by. They reached a river which led them straight to the source of all the waters in Hyrule. Zora's Waterfall.  
"Ok, so..._this_ is the source of the rivers and waters in Hyrule, Zora's Waterfall, unless I'm mistaken. That waterfall over there is the Waterfall of Wishing, and through those bushes is Zora's Domain," Triest said.  
"I know. I've been here before," Link remarked.  
"I was talking to Zelda."  
"Oh." Triest responded.  
Zelda was in amazement. The beauty of Zora's Waterfall was amazing. There was a constant rainbow from the water in the air caused by the waterfalls at their level and below them. The small lake nearby poured out into the river they followed up here, and some rocks were blocking the waterfall so visitors could swim freely. To some, Zora's Waterfall has been called, "The last dry land in Hyrule." Ironic because of all the moisture there, but understandable. Zora's Domain is almost completely flooded. The three entered the Waterfall of Wishing, and when they reached the Great Faerie's Fountain, Link threw in a spare bottle to summon Venus, Queen of Faeries.

"Hello there. Did you drop this?" Venus asked.  
"Yes, we did, but that is not why we have come. We have a question to ask of you." Triest said.  
"Ask away," Venus replied.  
"We have heard news of another faerie fountain more powerful than this one. Is this true?"  
"You must mean my older sister. Yes, she is more powerful than I. The green one has already met her."  
"You mean the faerie in the Pyramid?" Link chimed in.  
"The same. Now that Ganon's power has faded from the Golden Land, however, she returned to her original form and true power."  
Triest looked at Link who said, "She was powerful even when I met her in her weakened state! Think about it!"  
"Well, what are we waiting for!" Triest yelled. They thanked Venus who filled Link's bottle with Magic Medicine, and left the cave, but when they left, they heard a strange, gruff, voice say, "Tell me what you know about the Hidden Waterfall!" After Link shouted, "Why should we tell you," a hulking figure jumped from the bushes and simply replied, "I have my ways..."


	4. The Mark

**_Chapter 4: The Mark  
_**"You have ways, huh?" Triest told the creature, "We'll see just how useful those 'ways' are!" The beast stood about twice the size of Link and Triest. It was mainly a brown color with tan markings all over. It was hunched over and its back was made of solid rock. All over it's body were metal plates, probably used for some mild armor, and it's hands were covered with steel plates that were obviously going to be used as weapons.  
"Triest, shut up. I'd rather not tick this thing off any more than it already is." Link whispered. Then came a battle cry as Zelda leaped over the two and tried so thrust her sword into the beast. Her blade didn't even penetrated the skin. She looked into the beasts glowing red eyes as it lifted her up with intent to slam her into the ground. Link shouted out to the beast, "Hey! Tall, dark and ugly! Put her down and face me like a real man!"  
"Real, _men, _Link. I'm here too. Now let's do this!" Triest chimed in. The two charged the monster with full force, but instead of attacking, then split when they were about to reach him with Link running clockwise and Triest running the opposite direction. Almost instinctively, both Link and Triest, while on opposite sides of the beast, ran up him and slashed at his hands. The creature growled in pain, and dropped Zelda, who fell in Triest's arms. Triest put her down, then remarked, "Hey, girl, you're with Link, not me! Jeez, jumping in my arms and stuff, man." They chuckled a little bit, then the three regrouped while the creature was in a daze.  
"This thing doesn't seem very smart," Zelda noticed. Triest chuckled a little.  
"What?" Zelda asked.  
"I'll tell you later," Triest said.  
"Focus guys. Anyone have a plan? That thing is slow and stupid, but extremely powerful. Any ideas?" Link asked.  
"Just one. Follow my lead," Triest said with a smirk. Triest ran up behind the creature and yelled, "Surround him!" Link and Zelda each took a different side of the creature. The beast looked straight at Triest with glowing red eyes. Link and Zelda were slashing at it's rock-hard back, but it didn't seem to faze it. Triest slashed the beast's eyes with his sword. It looked to the sky, howling in pain. "GO!" Triets yelled. He ran up the beast, did a frontflip, and came down sword pointed down. Link and Zelda, took the hint after triest started running up after him. Link pulled off the same move as Triest, and Zelda thrusted her sword into it's neck. The beast gave out a huge cry of pain and hit the ground. As Zelda retrieved her sword from it's neck, Triest started bragging in victory, "Well, you know what they say, 'The bigger they are the...'..."  
"Yeah, yeah. The harder they fall. We've all heard it before," Link interrupted.  
"Actually, I was gonna say, 'the harder it is to keep your balance when they fall'!" Triest joked.  
"But here's the stumper," Zelda said, "how did he know about the Hidden Waterfall?"  
"I'm not sure. Too bad he's dead. We could've questioned him," Triest said. Link went to search the body for any clues.  
"Hey guys! Check this out!" He hollered. They all huddled around the beast and noticed an odd tattoo on the back of it's neck. After they all got a good look at it, is vanished into this air.  
"What was that?" Link asked.  
"Not sure. But I intend to find out," Triest said, heading down the path leading to the witch's house.  
"What's his problem?" Zelda asked Link. Link didn't respond to her question at all. He started at Triest as he walked off, then told Zelda, "Let's go to the witch's hut. Might as well sleep with a roof over our head if we can," He gave an uneasy smile, and Zelda sensed it. She simply nodded and they started heading back.

"Why? That mark...it's death. Why would it show up now?" Triest was in a small ditch looking at the stars. He lifted up his sleeve and looked at a tattoo on his upper arm. It was the same as the one on the monster from earlier. "This mark. It is a curse. But why it's here, I don't know. It appeared on me after I conquered my dark side on that fateful day over two years ago. I couldn't bear showing it to the others, but I wonder. Why is it here? Why is it on me?" The mark Triest described consisted of four triangles. Almost like the Triforce, but 3 of them were upside down and they were connected by a regular triangle in the middle. The color was black as the night sky. Triest stood up and started heading for the "Rock Zone" as he called it east of Hyrule Castle. Zelda caught him as he passed by the hut and asked,  
"Triest. What's going on?" Triest looked to the sky again, gave a big smile and simply responded,  
"Nothing at all. I've just got a little more pent up energy, so I'm gonna go take it out on some Octoroks. Hopefully, I'll score some big treasure while I'm there, so wish me luck." Zelda gave him a hug and he dashed off into the night. She heard faint cries in the night as Triest started defeating the Octoroks. Zelda simply said,  
"Triest. What are you hiding?" She went back inside and laid down next to Link, who was fast asleep. She silently said to herself, "He'll say when he's ready. No since in getting us involved if he doesn't want us."

Link and Zelda awoke the next morning, both wondering where Triest went. They started looking around the hut to find Triest sleeping in the tree nearby! Link started chuckling, the shouted, "HEY TRIEST! WAKE UP!!!" Triest woke up instantly, then fall out of the tree due to surprise. He slowly got up, and remarked to the others, "Yeah, it's easy to get me when I'm sleeping!" They all thanked the witch for letting them stay, then started walking east, towards the Lost Woods, but as they left, all three of them had something on their mind.  
_Why did that mark appear on me?  
Triest. What did you really do last night?  
Something is up, and whether he knows it or not, I think Triest has something to do with it._


	5. The Secret of the Graveyard

**_Chapter 5: The Secret of the Graveyard  
_**After a short and uneventful walk, the gang soon arrived at the Graveyard. Zelda was nervous. She had never actually been to the graveyard before. She had only seen the graveyard passing by. This was closer than she had ever gotten, or wanted to get. The graveyard was extremely taken care of by the priest in the sanctuary. There were no pattern to the graves, and only one stood out and seemed to have significance. It was surrounded by stones too heavy for a normal person to carry. It has been said to hold a deep secret. Although Link found the Magic Cape there, some still think there's more. Triest was one of them. He was already through the gates inspecting the gravestones for clues. Link was waiting on the outside for Zelda to calm down. Neither of them noticed what Triest was doing. When Zelda noticed what he was doing, she couldn't help but to shout out, "Triest! What are you doing!? Have you no respect for the dead? The people buried here?"  
"What are you talking about?" Triest replied, "Look, I'm not defiling anything. The last thing I want is to have 20 angry ghosts looking for me."  
"Trust him, Zelda. He knows what he is doing. I've been here with him before," Link said.  
"Link? You've been here? You've defiled these graves as well?" She said with authority.  
"Zelda, listen. He's taking care not to step in front of the gravestones. He isn't defiling the graves. He is checking the stones for clues. There are some friendly spirits floating around right now. For all we know, they could be helping him. It's okay." Triest looked up, and froze. He saw something in the sky. Something Link and Zelda couldn't see. Soon, ghosts started appearing, and attacking Triest! He drew his sword to try to fend them off, but to no avail. A barrier was then put up trapping Triest on the inside!  
"Triest!" Link and Zelda both shouted.  
"Guys! Listen! Try penetrating the barrier! I don't know how long I can last in here! Ahhhh! Get the heck off of me you undead freak!" Triest was slowly being attacked by ghosts and the living dead alike. He tried to fight back, but they wouldn't stop coming. Whenever Link or Zelda slashed at the barrier, it simply grew back. Then Zelda had an idea.  
"Link, use the Spin Slash. That should open a hole long enough for me to jump through and save Triest!"  
"Zelda..." Link said, "Okay, lets do it!" Link powered up his attack, magical energy building in the blade, then let it go in a whirl of fury, and Zelda jumped through the hole that was created.

Triest was in pain, but it wasn't the monsters that were causing it. The mark on his arm started to burn intensely into his skin. He tried to hold back the agonizing pain it caused him, but soon, it became too much. He let out a scream of pain that echoed throughout the dome. The monsters attacking him all stopped, and returned to their resting places. However, the dome did not vanish. It started to glow a purple color, and Triest stood up, almost being summoned by it, and begain to float a couple inches off the ground. His eyes started to glow the same color of the dome, a very bright purple, shining intensely.

Zelda was watching the battle from afar. She was worried. Triest has suffered some major battle damage. His shirt was torn to shreds, as well as his pants, and he was bleeding all over. After the monsters were destroyed, she almost ran to get Triest, but stayed hidden due to the changing of the dome. She saw him rise up, as if uninjured, and look to the roof of the dome. She also heard a voice booming from nowhere.  
"Triest. You thought it was over. It is just beginning. Your true nature will reveal itself in time. Until then, you will obey me," it commanded. Triest hypnotically replied with a simple, "Yes." Zelda wondered what was going on, then noticed a purple glow coming from Triest's sleeve. Under it, to be more specific. She wondered what it was, but it and the dome vanished. Triest was left facedown in the middle of the graveyard. Zelda ran over to him, as did Link, who was patiently waiting on the outside. He rushed in to greet Zelda, thankful that she was okay. Triest, on the other hand, was a different story. He was out. Almost dead. Link checked his pulse.  
"Is he okay?" Zelda asked.  
Link shook his head. "No. He needs help. But not anything we can give him. It's not medical, I don't think."  
"But what is it then? And who can help him?"  
"I...don't know." Zelda fell to the ground crying and Link looked down solemnly.  
"Link, I have something to tell you." She said with tears in her eyes.  
"Yes? What is it, Zelda?"  
"Triest. Something is wrong with him."  
"No kidding! He's facedown in a graveyard needing some kind of help that noone can give, and there's nothing we can do about it!" Link snapped around staring at Zelda with anger in his eyes, but not directed toward her. Zelda understood why. Link and Triest had been very close friends, and me must be devastated to see him like this.  
"No, I mean before this. I saw something while in the dome."  
"Like what?"  
"There is something on his arm. I saw it glowing when that thing was talking to him."  
"What thing? What did it say?"  
"I don't know. A voice...It said, 'You're true nature will reveal itself'. And a strange symbol on Triest's arm was glowing purple!"  
As if it was almost an omen, rain started pouring down. Link gave a strange look at Zelda, then looked at Triest. He double taked at him, then ran over to him, picked him up, and bolted to Kakariko. "Zelda! I'm going to the village! Get the priest! Tell him to meet me at the Elder's house! Hurry! Go!" Zelda did as told. Link whispered to Triest not knowing or caring if he could hear, "Come on man, fight it. You beat this thing once before, and you can do it again!" He rushed off into the distance with only one thing on his mind, _I've got to save Triest!_


	6. The Mark of the Shadow Force

**_Chapter 6: The Mark of the Shadow Force  
_**would be going on, one of them being the elder of the village, Sahasrahla. Link soon reached his house and kicked open the door. He hurried inside and set Triest down on the couch. By now, he came in from the next room, horrified at the sight. Triest was gravely injured. His body had cuts all over it, and the rain mixed with the blood made them worse. Link looked at him with eyes filled with worry. The elder ran into the next room, and returned with a stack of books.  
"What's wrong with him?" the elder asked.  
"I don't know," Link replied, "but it might have something to do with this." Link lifted up the sleeve to reveal the mark that Zelda had mentioned. Both Link and the elder were surprised to see it. Link recognized it from the monster who attacked them in Zora's Waterfall. The elder just stared into space.  
"Elder, what is wrong? What is this mark on Triest's arm?" The elder simply responded with one word, "Death." Link was stunned, and filled with questions, but chose not to ask. He knew the elder would answer them in time.  
"Link. This is the mark of the Shadow Force. Do you know of the legend?" Link shook his head. "Then allow me to tell you about the Legend of the Shadow Force..."

_Long ago, an omnipotent and omniscient power was kept hidden in the ancient Golden Land. The power was known to the people as the Golden Power. When the hundreds of people who entered the Golden Land never returned, evil power began to flow from the land. Originally, it was thought that the dark power came from the Golden Power itself, but after Ganon, the evil King of Darkness was defeated, the dark power began once again flow from the Golden Land. One man entered the land, and returned with an terrible sight. The Golden Power had split into 2 right before his eyes. The centers of the 3 triangles were changed to black. They separated themselves from the Golden Power, and became it's own entity. The man now named the two. The Triforce, and the Shadow Force. Noone has ever seen the Shadow Force since then, but all knew it existed._

"And now you know. That mark...it's a curse. One that was created from pure evil. I don't know how to get rid of it, nor do I know of it's powers. I'm sorry." Link had a blank stare on his face. He couldn't believe what he had heard. His friend was cursed by a mark. A mark from pure evil.  
"I've...got to go. I'll be back." Link stood up, and left.

About 10 minutes later, Zelda and the priest walked through the doors. "Elder! I brought the priest from the sanctuary. Can you help him?" Zelda asked. "Wait..." She looked around, "Where is Link at?" The elder gave her a solemn look, then said,  
"He went into the woods. He has some issues to deal with. Some personal issues. It's best to leave him be."  
"WHAT!!! You let him go into the woods in this storm at this time of night?!?" She started to bolt out of the door, but the priest stopped her and shook his head. Zelda started to cry, but prevented it. The priest and the elder went into the other room to talk, an Zelda tried to sleep in the guest bed.

Link returned later that night. He walked in and noticed Zelda sleeping by the couch where Triest laid. He gave a smirk, then went into the other room to find the priest and elder going over some old books.  
"Link!" The elder declared.  
"Elder. I have a story to tell you. It has to do with Triest." Link said with a sarious look on his face. He had water dripping off his tunic, which was ripped in numerous places from his time in the woods, "Triest. He has had a difficult life, and he almost was taken by the dark side." Link began to tell the priest and the elder about when Triest and him first met. He said that Triest was searching for the secret of his past, and that the answers weren't what he wanted, but he went along with it anyway because he felt like he was expected to. When Link finished his tale, the priest headed into the next room. He looked at the mark. It was glowing a faint purple. Triest started struggling in his sleep. Link and the elder walked in, and Zelda was woken up by the noise. She was grateful to see Link and jumped in his arms.  
"No. Go away. I escaped that life! I chose my own destiny! GO AWAY!" Triest's eyes opened, but they were once again glowing purple. He stood up, and started at Link with an evil gaze. "You. Leave me alone! I escaped that life!" he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Link.  
"Triest, I don't know what has gotten into you," Link unsheated his sword, "but I intend to find out. Let's take this outside." Link started to walk outside, closely followed by Triest. The two headed outside of the village to the Haunted Grove. It was a pretty spacious area enclosed by trees. 6 trees were in the grove in a rupee-shaped pattern.  
"Here is we'll battle, now, draw your sword," Triest commanded. The priest, the elder, and Zelda all looked on in amazement. They never thought they'd see the day they fought like this. Zelda started to shout out to them,  
"Link! Triest! Stop this now! You don't need to fight like this! Stop it now!" It was difficult to tell from the rain, but she was crying. Triest looked directly at her, but then stared at Link. His eyes and curse mark were glowing a bright purple.  
"Triest. I don't know what you're seeing right now, but we're all friends here," Link drew his sword, and got into stance, "and I intend to make you remember." Triest was almost oblivious to Link's words. He simply replied,  
"You're done. Darkness will no longer come over me. I'll destroy the whole Shadow Force if I have to!" Lightning then struck and Link and Triest charged at each other, both with the intent to win, but Link wondered to himself, _How can I fight my best friend?_


	7. Behind Purple Eyes

**_Chapter 7: Behind Purple Eyes  
_**Link and Triest both charged at each other and met in close-quarters combat. Sparks were flying as the blades clashed with one another. Neither side was able to land a hit on the other. When one took the offensive, the other took the defensive, and vice-versa. Link tried a powerful vertical strike, but Triest was quick to block. He was able to bring the swords down enough so that he could look Triest square in the eyes. Gunting, Link said, "Triest...enough. You don't have to do this. We're friends. We don't have to fight." Triest's eyes widened. Link shoved him off and Triest stumbled back. He held a hand on his head and said,  
"Link? Is that you? But...no it's a trick. You're trying to pull me in with illusions, but it'll never happen!" Triest charged forward and slashed at Link, tearing a hole in his tunic, but barely hitting his skin. Link did a backflip, then pulled out his boomerang. He quickly checked the surrounding area, then threw it to his right. Triest started charging for him with sword in hand, but Link charged and tackled him to the ground. The boomerang whizzed over their heads. Link jumped up, as did Triest. They charged once again, but this time, Link sidestepped, and put Triest in a full-nelson maneuver by wrapping his arms around Triest's shoulders, then locking his hands behind his neck.  
"Triest, snap out of it, man! What are you seeing? Who am I to you? Snap out of it man!" Link let go, and pushed him in front of him. Triest whipped around to see Link duck and the boomerang hit him square in the face. He fell down, then Link jumped on him and punched him square in the face, knocking him out.

_Where am I? _Triest found himself in nothingness. Darkness wherever he looked. _What is this place?_ A door appeared in front of him and he went through. He ended up in a very strange world. In the distance, he saw a castle, but not one of Hyrule, and a field that streched in infinite lenghths. The sky was blue and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was black with red towers, but something about it seemed inviting. Triest walked closer, but wasn't getting closer. _What the..._ He tried running, but the castle just became farther away. He looked up only to see the Shadow Force looking over him. He looked straight ahead and saw a shadow version of himself! He unsheathed his sword, and charged the demon, but it blocked his attack. It blocked every attack he made, but then, he heard a voice seeming to originate from the shadow being. It said, "Triest, I don't know what you're seeing, but it's a lie! It's me, Link! Snap out of it!" Triest stumbled back, and put his hands on his head, then thought, _Did that shadow speak to me? No. It's all a lie!!! _He charged for the shadow being, and with a massive sword strike, severely injured the beast's right arm. It howled out in pain, but it was a cry in the distance that caught his attention.  
"Link! LINK!!" it yelled. Triest looked around. The only two who were around were him and that shadow. He heard it again, "Link! Get up! Please!" Triest had an uneasy feeling.

"Zelda...I think it's working...look." Link said weakly, and pointed to Triest, who was screaming and swinging his sword around wildly. "I think he's coming out on it! urgh.." Link was lying on the ground, severely injured from Triest's slash. His right arm had an enormous gash in it. He couldn't feel it at all.  
"Link! No, you need to be okay! Please! Was this really worth it? Your arm, it'll be okay!" Zelda shouted nervously. Triest looked at Link and Zelda with glowing purple eyes. They widened when they saw the blood from Link's arm and the tears from Zelda's face. The rain stopped, and Triest's eyes slowly faded back to normal.  
"Oh my god!" He looked at his bloodstained blade, "What have I done? Link? Was it me? How...I would never! NO!" Triest ran out of the haunted grove, screaming, "No! NO!"  
"Zelda...follow him. Try to tell him it's ok. I'll get some medcial help from the elder and priest. Please, for me..." Link's eyes closed. Zelda stood up. Her armor had a red streak on it from the gash on Link's arm. She ran off in search of Triest. The priest and elder ran over to Link and picked him up. The elder told Link,  
"You know we aren't very good doctors, right?"  
"Yeah, I know," Link cracked a weak smile, "but even you can do what needs to be done." The elder's eyes widened, realizing what Link meant, but knew it needed to be done, and nodded. The priest said a little prayer for Zelda, and they headed back to Kakariko. As she left, Zelda could hear Link give out a scream of intense pain and agony. Zelda cringed a bit hearing Link in pain, but continued onward with what she was told to do.  
"Triest! Where are you? We need to talk! Triest!!" Zelda ran through the night looking for Triest, but little known to her, someone was watching her every move. The figure in the night said,  
"I'm sorry. I have to do this myself." He turned around, but not before saying, "Link. We will meet again, but when I'm over this thing. Goodbye." With that, he faded in the darkness.


	8. Inner Conflict

**_Chapter 8: Inner Conflict  
_**"Where'd you go? I miss you so. Seems like forever, that you've been gone. Where'd you go? I miss you so. Seems like forever, that you've been gone," Zelda sung quietly to herself. The sun was coming up, and she barely gotten any sleep. She had searched all the way to the swamp in Southern Hyrule, and was now making her way back to Kakariko Village. The wet grass was hard enough to walk through, and the occasional monsters weren't helping. She had just gotten by the statues that were in a 3x3 square pattern, and could see Link's house in the distance. _Oh! perfect! I can get some supplies there! _She rushed up to the doors, and saw none other that Triest laying on the bed! She gasped at this site, and started yelling, "Triest! Triest! Get up! Get up! WAKE UP!!!" Triest jumped up, and fell out of bed.  
"Zelda? What are you doing here?" He said sleepily.  
"I'm here to take you back. We miss you. All of us," she replied.  
Triest looked down, "I can't. Not after last night. I probably killed Link..."  
"No! He's gonna be ok! He's seeing someone to treat his arm!"  
"No...it could happen again. I might attack you next time..."  
Zelda smacked him, and Triest looked at her puzzlingly.  
"Listen, don't be a moron," she said with authority, "Whatever this is, we'll take care of it. We'll get through it together!" She gave him a hug, and Triest chucked.  
"You know, I'm kind of lucky for two reasons. I've got some great friends in this world for one, and two, that Link isn't the jealous type!" he cracked.  
"You don't have to worry about that. It's just a little hug! Nothing like me and Link!" she chucked, as did he. They walked out of the house, but as they were walking, Triest hit her on the back of her head with hte sheath of his sword, knocking her out temporarily.

"I'm sorry, Zelda, but I can't go back yet. I can't endanger you guys anymore," He said quietly, then ran off into the distance. Zelda soon awoke, but Triest was nowhere in sight. She looked around, then headed back to Kakariko to check on Link.

"Link. Are you awake?" Link awoke to the elder's voice. "I...can't feel my right arm..." he said after sitting up in his bed.  
"I think you know the reason for that," The priest remarked.  
"Yeah. It just...feels wierd, you know," Link said.  
"Well, there's no undoing, so I suggest getting used to it."  
"I know." At that moment, almost as soon as Link stood up, Zelda walked through the door, horrified at the sight in front of her.  
"Link...your arm...it's gone!" She cried.  
"I know. Triest hit me a little harder than I wanted, but it's ok. I'll adapt."  
"You didn't have to do this! Why did you? It could have healed!"  
"No, it was beyond repair, and Link knew it," The elder said, "It was the only thing that could be done." Link expected Zelda to start crying, but instead, she remarked,  
"Well then, I guess that makes me the leader now! I'm the only one who's whole!" The group laughed, and Link said,  
"You do remember I'm left-handed, right?"  
"Oh." The group laughed even harder, but soon they all became quiet and their eyes directed at Zelda. She didn't want to say it, but she did anyway, "Triest. There's something in him making him evil. He said he won't come back until be defeats it himself. He's extremely upset about hurting you, and doesn't want to do it again."

"That moron. He knows he can't do it by himself. He'll eventually be overcome by it if we don't do anything!" Link declared he looked at Zelda, "Which way did he go?"

"I don't know. He knocked me out before he left. Probably to prevent us from following. We were headed here, though," She replied. Then there was a loud thunderclap. Everyone ran outside and looked toward Death Mountain.  
"Strange," the priest said, "There isn't a cloud in the sky. There can't be a storm coming." Link headed back inside, and returned with his Ocarina of Time.  
"Link, what are you doing with that?" Zelda asked.  
"Sending Triest a message. Hopefully, he'll get it." Link responded. He held the Ocarina to his lips and began to play. It was a simple song. Only 3 notes, played twice, but when he played it, a yellow energy field appeared around him and changed the day to night. Everyone was confused as to why Link had chosen that song to play. "Look to the mountain. If he got the message, he'll respond," he said. They all looked, then saw what looked like lightning strike on top of Death Mountain, followed by a cold wind that blew quickly through Hyrule. Link smiled and simply said, "He'll be back. Just give him time."

_I've got to figure out what is wrong with me! _Triest thought as he headed by the Graveyard. _Something keeps distorting me, clouding my thoughts, and I will find out what! _He headed north, towards the entrance to Death Mountain. _I have one place I can go. A place I made my own when I first climbed here. _He pulled out a golden medallion with a thunderbolt engraving on it. It shimmered in the sunlight as he stepped out of the cave. Death Mountain was a unique mountain. It didn't have a peak, but it had several level surfaces that towered over the land of Hyrule. There were creatures that ran about that turned to stone when they were struck, and strange rock formations that looked like little pyramids. Triest knew of the hidden dangers on the lower level, however. Boulders were constantly falling from the spider monsters on the higher levels. Triest ducked, jumped, and avoided many boulders and soon made it to the stairwell to the highest part of Death Mountain. He never questioned who put it there, but then again, he never really cared. He was just thankful it was there. He continued onward to the area where a Dark World portal once was, but was currently inactive. The intricate pattern of the pyramid-rocks and stones was always interesting to him, considering it was a natural formation. He stood on the now inactive portal, and pulled out another gold medallion, this one with a curved engraving. He shouted above the silence, "My name is Triest! I will not be swayed by anyone!" he pulled out his sword, spun around once, then held in in the air. "Quake Attack!!!" He shouted as he drilled his sword into the ground, causing a massive earthquake, whose sound could be heard throughout Hyrule. He shouted a strong battle cry, then looked out over Hyrule once again.  
"Why hello there, young man! How are you today?" came an old voice. Triest looked around to see an old man right behind him.  
"Not so good, but thanks," he replied kinda solemnly.  
"Oh, that's too bad. Well, then I have some advise for you. No matter how things may seem, even though it can get worse, doesn't mean it will. Look toward the light, and it will show you the way," the old man responded. As he said that, the day suddenly turned to night, and Triest noticed a yellow beam of light coming from Kakariko Village. The old man didn't seem to notice, "Whew, it get's dark out here quick, doesn't it? I had better go. Remember what I said, okay." The old man walked off, and Triest looked out to the beam.

"I won't," he said. "I'll be back, you guys. Count on it!" Triest pulled out the medallion with the thunderbolt engraving. He held his sword to the sky and shouted, "Bring it on evil ones! I will no longer be overcome! Ether Strike!!!" A lightning bolt struck his sword as the polar winds started swirling around him. Some nearby spiders around him froze. When the winds stopped, Triest gave a salute to the night, and laid down to rest before the morning.


	9. The Next Clue

**_Chapter 9: The Next Clue  
_**Link and Zelda woke up pretty early the next morning, as did the elder and the priest. Triest was gone, without saying if he would return, so the priest headed back to the sanctuary. They all thanked him and saw him off. Link and Zelda looked at each other, then decided to continue on the quest they had started. Maybe the Hidden Waterfall would be able to help. Now, there was a reason to find it. They asked the elder if he knew anything about its location or how to get there.

"Yes. I do know of the waterfall you speak of, but the journey is a harsh one that will test you to your limits. Do you think you're ready for it?"  
"Yes"  
"Definitely" they responded.  
"Well then, allow me to tell you the legend of the Hidden Waterfall, as passed down through the ages...

_The Golden Land, where The Triforce lay, holds numerous secrets. One of which is a waterfall. Not just any waterfall, but a Waterfall of Wishing. Similar to the one in Hyrule, but much more potent. It has been said to have the power to create all, to know all, and to enrich all. It was created from the very essence of the Triforce itself. Power, Wisdom, and Courage. All three of these are in it's essence. The few travelers who make it all the way are said to be gifted with special powers given to them by the faerie who resides there, and always say she is the most beautiful thing they have ever seen. Many seek, few find, fewer return.  
_

"As you can see, it will be perilous, but I can tell you how to get to the mystic Golden Land if you wish."  
Link and Zelda nodded.  
"Now, we have a reason to go," She said. Link nodded in agreement.  
"Very well then," The elder said, "I will show you how to open the way to the Golden Land. Go to Death Mountain and reach the inactive portal there. Stand on the portal, hold the Master Sword into the air, and shout these words out. Zelda, you must hold onto Link throughout this journey. If you don't, you may become separated during the warp to the other side. The portal will open and suck in anything around it, so stay together. Now then, shout these words, 'By the power of the gods, and the sacred Blade of Evil's Bane, I open the path to the land of the Golden Power.' " Link and Zelda thanked the elder, then departed.

"Link?" Zelda asked.  
"Yes?" he responded.  
"Triest. Where do you think he is now?"  
"Well, I think he might be in either one of three places. The portal where we're headed, Turtle Rock, or on top of the Tower of Hera. When we first met, those were the three places he felt the most connected with himself. The places he felt the most comfortable."  
"Why do you think that?"  
"Hard to say. I guess it's just something that only he knows." Zelda squeezed Link's hand.  
"I just hope he's okay is all. We might not be as good as friends as you guys, but we still were." Link stopped, and faced Zelda. He looked into her eyes and said,  
"Listen, he's gonna be okay. If there's anyone who knows Triest, it's me. I helped him through his hardest time, and this will be nothing different." He gave her a kiss, then said, "We'll find the waterfall, and somehow get rid of whatever is plaguing him." she smiled, and gave him a kiss in return.  
"Thanks, Link. I'm glad to hear you say that. It makes me feel better."  
"No problem, Zelda. Hey, while we're here, let's stop by the Lumberjack Brothers house to see if they have any tools or supplies for us to use."  
"Okay." The two walked up to a little cottage on the outskirts of the Lost Woods. It was a pretty open area with numerous tree stumps and saplings everywhere. They knocked on the door and were greeted by the two lumberjack twins. They were kind of a nutty sort, but were always helpful to those in need. They both wore a green tunic-like outfit which resembled Link's attire.  
"Link! How's it going, little man! Come in and sit down! And who do we have here?" said the elder brother.  
"I'm Zelda. Princess of Hyrule," she chucked at their antics. They both bowed, and the younger of the two said,  
"To what to we owe this great honor?"  
"We are in need of some supplies. We've got a tough road ahead of us," he said seriously. The elder of the two jumped up, and sprang to a nearby drawer,  
"then help you out, we must! Here is some of the newest arrows we have created, used especially for hunting!" Link looked at the arrow with awe,  
"This...is magificent! How many can I have?" the elder brother had a sly look on his face.  
"You can _have _none, but I'll sell them to you for one rupee an arrow,"  
"Ok, but what do you guys use the rupees for anyway? It can't be as money," Link queried.  
"Nope. Take a look at that arrowhead there!"  
"Wow! It's a rupee shard! Man! Sold! Here's 100 rupees."  
"And here's your 100 arrows! Feel free to take any food you wish! We're heading back into the woods. Goodbye!" With that, the two headed into the Lost Woods.  
"They're pretty unique, aren't they?" Zelda chuckled.  
"Yeah, but they're good people," Link replied, "I believe we're ready to go." Zelda nodded, and they headed south to the cave which lead them to Death Mountain's summit. Through the cave, however, it was an interesting trip...

"Back off, I'll take you on, Headstrong, I'll take on anyone, I know that you are wrong, headstrong, we're headstrong!" Link sang as it echoed throughout the cave. Zelda started laughing hard,  
"Link, what are you doing?" She asked, laughing.  
"I led the life unchosen, gave a lesson to the broken. I heard the words unspoken, gave a lesson to the broken," by now, he was dancing around Zelda.  
"Link, what has come over you all of a sudden?" she asked, still laughing. Link suddnly got serious, then gave a big smile,  
"Just livin' life is all! you know how it is!" Zelda chuckled, and they headed on up the mountain. They soon reached the portal, and prepared everything as they were told. Link held the Master Sword into the air, with Zelda clinging to him tightly. He shouted into the daylight, "By the power of the gods, and the sacred Blade of Evil's Bane, I open the path to the land of the Golden Power!!" The Master Sword glowed golden, and the portal below them started moving and it turned gold as well. The air around them started to get sucked into the portal. "Hang on Zelda!" Link cried. They started to sink into the ground. At first, his initial rection was to jump and get away, but he restrained himself and let his body go under.. The sands started swirling around him as Zelda's grip tightened around Link's waist. Then, suddenly, everywhere they looked, there was white. They both had a nauseous feeling, then next thing then knew, they were being thrown into the air over a wide open field that stretched into the distance. They landed hard, Zelda on top of Link. They looked into the distance. "Well, here we are. The Golden Land. Now, to find the Hidden Waterfall," Link said, looking out into the distance.


	10. Interruption

**_Chapter 10: Interruption  
_**"Link. I can't believe it. We're here! The Golden Land!" Zelda exclaimed. Link looked around. Something about this world seemed different. It was hard to explain, but he had a strange feeling that this was not the Golden Land. "Link, what's wrong? Shouldn't you be happy? Look! There's a castle over there!" She pointed north to a large castle that looked over the land. There was a large mountain to east of their location, and what appeared to be a lake to the southeast. They were standing next to what looked like an unnatural rock formation that housed a structure of some kind. They decided to head to the castle to see if they could acquire some kind of information. When they walked through the gates, they were surprised to see a town inside. It was a very populated town with people running everywhere. There were numerous shops and some games, including a shooting gallery and a treasure game. Link wanted to head to the nearby shooting gallery to see if he could win some prizes, but Zelda stopped him. A couple people nearby laughed as Link was pulled away from the door."Link, something about this town is wierd. It doesn't seem like these people would know anything about the Golden Power. Maybe we didn't do something right..." Zelda said. Link looked around, then pulled a nearby villager to the side. He pointed to a nearby building and asked,  
"What is that place? Is it a temple of sorts?" The villager replied,  
"Yup, that there be the Temple of Time, the most appreciated temple in all o' Hyrule!" Link's eyes widened.  
_Hyrule? How? This isn't Hyrule? _He thought to himself. He thanked the stranger and called Zelda over.  
"I'm gonna head to that temple in the distance. You coming?" he asked.  
"Yes. I don't really like it here. These people are different then the ones in Hyrule," she said. Link couldn't tell her that this place was also called Hyrule.  
It was obvious that the Temple of Time was a great place. It stood almost as tall as the castle. It was difficult to hear the bustling town from here, but it was okay. They kind of enjoyed the peace and quiet. They walked through the temple's grand doors, and saw a mysterious person standing in front of a pedistal. He wore a mainly blue outfit that was white in the center. The white part of his outfit had a strange eye design colored in red. His wrists and fingers were taped and his head was almost completely covered. The only part that was exposed was one red eye. The rest of his face was covered by either cloth or his hair, including his other eye. He turned around in surprise of seeing them, and his eyes widened when he saw them.  
"You, but how? I thought..." he said quietly.  
"Hello. My name is Link, and this is Zelda. We have traveled a long way in search of the hidden Waterfall of Wishing. Would you know of it?" Link asked the stranger. He turned around the started muttering to himself something. Link tried to make out what he was saying, but to no avail. He turned around and asked,  
"Please, could you tell me the name of the land of which you hail?"  
Zelda repled, "The land of Hyrule, sir."  
"Here? No. Somewhere else named Hyrule? Please, how did you get here?" He asked.  
"We traveled through a portal on top of a mountain known as Death Mountain." The stranger's eyes widened even more. He stepped outside, urging them to follow. He pointed to the mountain in the distance.  
"You mean that mountain?" he asked.  
"No. Wait, that mountain is called Death Mountain as well?" Zelda asked.  
"Yes. I don't know what heppened, but you're not in the 'Golden Land' of which you speak. You see..." he was interrupted by Link who said,  
"The gerudo thief Ganondorf got into the Sacred Realm because a young boy pulled forth the Master Sword. Now he's frozen in that realm until he becomes old enough to wield it." The stranger's glared at Link and asked,  
"Who are you again? There's no way you could have known that."  
"I told you, my name is Link. I don't exactly know how I knew that, however. I remember it happening, though, to me. I think I might be that young boy!" He unsheathed his sword, which made the stranger jump back. He exclaimed,  
"The sacred Master Sword! But how?" Link put his hand on his head.  
"I...I...don't know anymore... All I know is I'm having these memories that I don't recall doing, but they feel like they're mine."  
"Link? Are you okay?" Zelda asked.  
"Hmm. I'm not quite sure what's going on here, but I believe that for some reason, when you were travelling to your 'Golden Land', and wound up here," the stranger said.  
"But how are we to get back? And what about the Golden Land? How are we supposed to get there?" Zelda asked.  
"First, I believe a little history is in order," The stranger said. Zelda looked puzzled. Link nodded, and followed the stranger back inside the temple.  
"Now then, you see these three stones?" He pointed to 3 stones placed on top of a pedistal. "These are the 3 Spitiutal Stones of the Forest, Fire, and Water. The Kokiri's Emerald of the Forest. The Goron's Ruby of Fire. The Zora's Sapphire of the Water. The young boy gathered these three and played the legendary song, the 'Song of Time' to open the door that laid behind." The stranger walked through the door to a strange chamber. "This room. This is where the Master Sword laid before that young boy pulled it from it's resting place."

"Hmm. Interesting," Link looked up, and thought he saw something shine in the light. He double taked at the window, but saw nothing. Zelda noticed, and asked,  
"Link? You OK?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine. I still have a question for you, my friend. What is your name?" He looked the stranger square in the eye. There was silence for a moment, then the stranger started to speak.  
"My name...My name is Shiek." He turned aound, and spoke not another work. Silence fell over the temple. Link started to leave. Zelda went to follow him, but he stopped her and replied,  
"I need to think." He left the temple and Zelda alone with Shiek.

_Hmm. What is it about this guy? He's not saying something, I can tell, but what, I don't know. I intend to find out._

Link walked through the castle town. Night had fallen and there were wild dogs running about. The only people out were a couple who were dancing. Link chucked as they constantly complimented each other. _Heh, I don't give them that long. It doesn't seem true. _He closed his eyes, trying to think about the whole situation, but couldn't get his mind off Zelda. He thought about their history, and chuckled, _Man, it seemes like it's been forever since I asked her out! Shoot, it was only about an hour after that that we officially got together. It's actually been only a couple of days! _Zelda then walked outside. She had a worried look on her face.  
"Link. What if we don't get out of here? What if we can't find Triest? What if..." Link placed his finger over her lips.  
"Don't worry. We'll find him. Like I said before, Triest's one of my best friends. He's a tough guy. He'll be ok." He kissed her, and she smiled.  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," she smiled. He chuckled, as did she. Then a sound came from an alley. A local band started practicing, and the song just happened to fit the mood. Link bowed, and asked,  
"May I have this dance?" Zelda smiled and agreed. They hugged each other, and started dancing. For the first time in a few days, Link forgot all his troubles. He forgot he only had one arm, he forgot that Triest might have been missing, and he actually forgot where they were. All he could think was, _Life's perfect. For now at least. _

"Where am I? What's going on? Who am I? Why am I Here?" Came a voice. It was lost somewhere. Not in Hyrule, but somewhere else. It called out for help from the endless void, but recieved no answer. "Please! I'm alone! Somebody! Help!"


	11. The Way to the Golden Land

**_Chapter 11: The Way to the Golden Land  
_**Link woke up the next day in an inn neaby the treasure game. There was only one bed, so both Link and Zelda shared. Shiek had decided to not spend the night with them, and stayed in the temple overnight. Link and Zelda started walking back to the temple after getting ready, but before that, however, Link was able to sneak away to the shooting gallery and managed to win a bigger quiver for his arrows. Although the couldn't hold a bow, the shopkeeper allowed him to play because Link paid him some extra rupees. Apparently, Link has a very good throwing arm! His explanation to Zelda? "Hey, I won, didn't I?" She simply ignored him as they walked through the temple doors. Sure enough, Shiek was there waiting for them.  
"So, you came back," he said in a low voice.  
"Yes. We did. I think we shoud try to figure out some things that went on here. Like, for instance, how did we end up here when we were going to the Golden Land? And how are we supposed to get back on track?" Link asked.  
"I've been thinking about that," Shiek responded, "and I may have come up with a reasoning. Now, would you both agree that your 'Golden Land' is in a different plane, or dimension, as your Hyrule?" Link and Zelda nodded.  
"There's a very specific way to reach the Golden Land where we're from," Zelda said.  
"As there is here when attempting to reach the Sacred Realm. The way I see it, this Hyrule is on a plane that is completely separate from your Hyrule and your Golden Land," Shiek explained.  
Link nodded, "That makes sense, but that doesn't explain how we got here. There wasn't any kind of interference, and noone that we saw was sucked into the portal." Shiek paced around the room a bit, then walked through the door to the Master Sword's chamber. He signaled them to follow. They headed toward the pedistal where the Master Sword once laid. Link noticed the designs on the floor. It was the symbol of the Triforce surrounded by 6 circles, each with a different insignia on it.  
"Shiek, what are these symbols on the floor surrounding the Triforce? They might lead to some answers," Link pointed out. Shiek shook his head.  
"I highly doubt that. These are the 6 symbols of the sages. When the sages are awakened, they will give the Hero of Time medallions of their power. The medallions will have the 6 insignias on them. For now, the only sage that...wait. Rauru! He might know something! We need to get to the Chamber of the Sages! But how?" Shiek wondered.  
"How'd the Hero of Time get there?" Zelda asked.  
"By drawing the Master Sword from the Pedistal of Time," Shiek responded.  
"So let's try that," Link said, inching toward the pedistal. He was about to thrust the sword into the pedistal when Shiek stopped him.  
"No, that would not be wise. When the Hero of Time will put the sword back, he will travel back to his chidhood. Who knows what will happen."  
"So what then?" Link asked. He looked around the room and noticed the positions of the medallions relative to the position of the pedistal. Then, he got an idea. "Zelda, does this room look kind of familiar to you?" She looked around.  
"No. Should it?" she asked.  
"Think about Death Mountain back home. The medallions are lined up the same way as the stones surrounding the portal on Spectacle Rock!" He exclaimed.  
Her eyes widened, "You're right, but do you think it will work?"  
"What are you going to do?" Shiek demanded.  
"Ok, I've got a plan. This Hyrule and our Hyrule are on two different planes, correct?" Link asked. Shiek nodded. "What we don't know is whether or not our Golden land and your Sacred Realm are on two different planes! For all we know, they could be the same place!" Shiek gasped.  
"You...You may be right? But what if we're wrong? Who knows what could happen!"  
"Look, we need to get to that chamber, right? If we get to the Sacred Realm, Golden Land, whatever, do you think that you can guide us there?" Shiek nodded and thought to himself, _I hope you're right.  
_"Zelda, hang onto me. Shiek, hang on to Zelda. Ready?" Zelda ran up and wrapped her arms around Link. Shiek put his hands on Zelda's shoulders. Link then started to speak the words that sent them here.  
"By the power of the gods, and the sacred Blade of Evil's Bane, I open the path to the land of the Golden Power!!" The symbol of the Triforce began to glow yellow, then the 6 medallion symbols began to glow their respecive color. Yellow, green, red, blue, purple, orange in that order. As thet lit up, Shiek's eyes widened as he said the names of each medallion,  
"Light, Forest, Fire, Water, Shadow, Spirit. The power of the sages? Of the Sword? What is going on?" Then, beams of blue light began to form from around the meadallions that shot toward the ceiling. "What? The way is opening? But how? This worked? But...how?" Shiek wondered. The blue lights began raising faster. Link looked up as a crystal began to form around them. Link's eyes widened and he started to look around quickly. _That voice! Where is it coming from? Could it be? _Not hearing whatever Link was hearing, Zelda asked,  
"Link? What's wrong?" Link ignored her and kept looking. He couldn't move the rest of his body, which annoyed him, and soon he couldn't move his head. The aggrivated him further. Then, everything turned white. it was just like when they traveled here, but then Link heard the voice again.  
"Help me! Somebody!"  
"Link? Was that...?" Zelda obviosly heard it this time. Link, still unable to move, replied,  
"I hope so, Zelda. I hope so.

Shiek was in a disallusion. Ever since these strangers arrived, things have been different. Not only did the one in green call himself Link, but he ware the same outfit as the young boy who pulled forth the sword. Not only that, but seeing a princess named Zelda was even more surprising. Shiek had a secret, one that he didn't plan to reveal to anyone. Not even the strangers. He was the princess of hyrule, Zelda, in disguise from the Evil King, Ganon. He knew that Ganon had gotten to the Triforce, but didn't know when he would emerge from the Sared Realm with his power. He knew things would change, but not like this. At first, he thought it was Ganon's doing, but realized that was impossible. _Maybe I should reveal who I am to these people. Then again, what if it's a lie? I'll stay in disguise for now, and see if they are really who they seem to be_.

"Huh? What's that?" The disembodied voice echoed througout the gap between dimensions. A light appeared, and a shadow floated toward it. "Maybe this will be it. Maybe there, I can get help." As the shadow headed towards the light, a gasp of sheer awe echoed throughout the void.


	12. Return of Triest

**_Chapter 12: Return of Triest  
_**After a long journey from the alternate Hyrule, Link awoke in a mysical chamber. He was standing on a Triforce symbol and the symbols of the six medallions were surrounding him. The design was similar to the Master Sword's chamber. The floor didn't look like a floor, but more like energy. It was blue in color and seemed to be in constant motion. He looked at the sky around him. He wasn't exactly sure if it was a sky, but then again, he wasn't exactly sure what to think of the alternate Hyrule in general. It was all black with streams of the bluish energy all around. He looked for Zelda and Shiek, but didn't find either of then. Suddenly, one of the medallions in front of him started shining. It was a yellow one, possibly the Light Medallion that Shiek spoke of. He looked toward it, and saw Shiek rising up from inside the medallion. Link's eyes widened when he saw Zelda lying at his feet.  
"Zelda!" he hollered out. Shiek calmly replied,  
"She's ok. Just sleeping is all. Link, do you know where we are?"  
"Hmm. It looks kinda like the Master Sword chamber, but shinier," Link remarked.  
"This place...this place is one of a kind. There is not another like it. This is the Chamber of the Sages."  
"Hmm. Ok, so where's this Rauru guy you've been talking about?"  
"Rauru is not powerful enough yet to reach this place, but he will...in time. Ganondorf has sapped most of his strength."  
"Man, that's too bad."  
Shiek looked around the room.  
"Knowledge is a sea, and the people who have knowledge are like rivers, transferring thir knowledge to the other people in the land." Link had a confused look.  
"When a person dies, his river can no longer transfer his knowledge. It dries up, and spreads around. Like water in heat. It vanishes." Link nodded.  
"At least, that is what's thought by many people. When water evaporates, it becomes a cloud and rains over the land, continuing the cycle. The same happens with knowledge. When one cannot spread his knowledge to another, it is sent here, to the Chamber of the Sages. Here, the Sages may transfer that knowledge to the other inhabitants of the land and increase their own wealth of knowledge."  
"So, what you're saying is the Sages have the knowledge of every person who has ever died in Hyrule?" Link asked.  
"Yes, but it can knly be known in the Chamber. Here, I am able to tell you the way. The way to the Sacred Realm."  
"Hold on, you can? You're a sage?"  
"Not me." Shiek put his hands in a cross formation in front of his face, a Triforce Symbol appeared on his hand, with Wisdom lit up. There was a flash of light, and Zelda was standing in front of him!  
"What! Zelda? But, she's right there! On the ground? Huh?"  
"I am Princess Zelda, the Seventh Sage of Hyrule," she said, "While in this chamber, I can explain everything. Look at the crystal behind you." Link turned around, and saw what looked like a younger version of himself!  
"Is this..." He asked.  
"Yes. In a way, that is you. You see, as we discovered, our lands are on different planes." Link nodded and replied,  
"Yes, we've established that already."  
"Well each version of Hyrule has it's own Link, it's own Zelda, and even it's own Ganondorf."  
Link scratched his head, "I guess that makes sense."  
"What was unknown, however, was the difference between the Sacred Realm and the Golden Land. They are not one in the same. They are both similar, and are both being held together by the power of the Triforce."  
"So, the Triforce isn't in the Golden Land?"  
"No. it can be reached from either side, however. It is in a world separate from all others, yet still sustaining them all. Now, the Triforce was split into three on our side, but it's power remains intact on yours. That is only a margin of it's strength. Able still to sustain one world while split in the other."  
"Man, this is confusing."  
"Link, unsheath your sword. I must go now. Your Zelda musn't see me like this. Use the power of the Master Sword to get into your Golden Land. It is possible here. Say the words that brought us here. Goodbye. We shall not meet again." As she began to fade, the symbol of the Triforce that Link was standing on changed. It turned black and the triangles were flipped upside down.  
"No...It can't be!" Link pulled out his sword and ran over to Zelda's side.  
"The Shadow Triforce? Here? No! It's power must have followed us. But why?" Zelda had now completely faded and was unable to see what had happened. Now, only he and his Zelda were left. A menacing figure rose from the Shadows. Link looked in horror as he saw who it was.  
"Triest! It's you! But, that power? You didn't, you can't! You wouldn't!" Link held his sword into the air and began to charge his former friend. Triest stood strong. He was now covered in a dark aura. His eyes glowed red and the symbol of the Shadow Triforce was on his forehead and on the backs of his hands.  
"Heh, with only one arm, how do you expect to block me?" Triest hit Link with a massive right hand sending him to the ground. Zelda had woken up because of the noise, and was stunned from the sight.  
"Triest, what's the deal! You said you would beat this! You said it wouldn't let it get to you!" Link cried.  
"And I didn't," A voice echoed throughout the chamber. A beam of light pierced Triest and he fell to the ground. Link looked around, then saw a shadowy figure fall from the sky. It got up, and simply replied, "Did ya miss me?" Link smirked and replied simply,  
"Heck no. I was havin' a party after you left!" The figure was Triest, the real triest. He wore a new pair of blue jeans and a black shirt with his traditional armor underneath. He now wore a headband with the Triforce Symbol on it, and his sword hilt was now white as light. He also wore a white overshirt with a faded triforce symbol on it over his black shirt. He unsheathed his sword and is shined in the light rivalring that of the Master Sword. The other Triest looked in shock as the two stared him down, then charged him and sliced him down to size. The Triforce symbol returned to normal, and Triest and Link looked at each other. Link extended a hand, and said, "Welcome back, man." Triest shook it, and replied, "It's good to be back, bro. It's good to be back."


	13. Triest's Secret

**_Chapter 13: Triest's Secret  
_**Triest looked around the Chamber of the Sages in awe. "Man, wonder how much it cost to make this?" he remarked. Link chuckled and walked over to Zelda's side.  
"Triest," he asked, "Where were you this whole time? You just appeared out fo nowhere after being lost for days! What happened?" Triest looked down and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and sighed. He looked up, and gave a smile.  
"Well, it's a long story. You think you can handle it?" Link and Zelda nodded. "Well let's get outta here first." He unsheathed his glowing blade and held it above his head. "Dimension Slice!" He shouted. He sliced the sword down and it appeared as though he tore a hole in...something. It looked like there was a rip where he cut and white in the hole. He stepped through and said, "Don't worry, it's safe. How do you think I got here?" He jumped through, followed by Zelda. Link stood there, wind from the hole hitting him. _Ok, Triest, just what have you been up to? _he thought to himself. he slowly stepped through the hole as it slowly sealed up behind him.

After travelling through the portal, the three found themselves at Link and Triest's house. Link and Zelda sat on the couch and Triest stood next to a nearby shelf. He leaned against it, and started to speak...

"Well, I'm sure you know now about the Shadow Force, the darker side of the Triforce. After I attacked Link in the graveyard, I was determined to learn the truth about what exactly was wrong with me, and what exactly was trying to control me. I headed to Death Mountain to try to reflect on what had happened over the course of my life regarding the Shadow Force, and how exactly I got the mark on my arm" He lifted up his arm and revealed a scar in the area where the mark of the Shadow Force used to be. Link and Zelda gasped. "As you can see, it is no longer there. The Shadow Force no longer is part of me. I was on top of the Tower of Hera when I looked down and saw you two try to head into the Golden Land. I thought to myself _Hmm, maybe the Hidden Waterfall would help me somehow. _After I was sure you guys were through, I dove off of the tower into the portal, but as I did, I felt something. I'm not sure what it was, but it pulled inside of me. I fell unconscious and ended up drifting through the gap between the worlds. After what seemed like weeks, I awoke. I was still drifting between the worlds. I called out for help, but was unable to reach anyone. Finally, I saw an opening. I inched my way toward the hole and slowly forced my way through. After making my way through, I passed out from the strain of being pulled through the worlds. I awoke in a land that shined golden. Yes, I had made it. The Golden Land. It was a simple land, pretty different from Hyrule. It had a long stretch of plains that shined with the afternoon sun. There was a mountain in the distance with a smoke ring that some locals called "Hope Mountain". Yes, I said locals. There was a small village of about 15 of people who had made it to the Golden Land. They had decided to name the village, Kariko after their old hometown, Kakariko. I was actually found by a young woman from that village. Anyway, there was also a castle, well, more like a temple that was said to house the Golden Power. None had dared approach it, though, due to the fear of inability to control the power it posessed. There wasn't a villager around that had heard of the Hidden Waterfall, though. I was puzzled at this fact, but shrugged it off. I thanked them for their hospitality, but as I left, the young woman who found me caught up to me. She told me that she had heard a rumor of a mystical power other than the Golden Power in this land. I thanked her, and headed on my way.

"I headed through the field and noticed a river flowing. It looked like it had a goldish color due to the lighting of the land. I followed it hoping to reach its source, which I assumed to be the Waterfall. After an hour of travelling, I reached the source. It was a beautiful lake of blue with a waterfall on one end. There was grass all around and cliffs surrounding. The golden sun's shine wasn't hitting this area as much, giving the lake a more natural blue color. I headed toward the waterfall, hoping I had found it, but to no avail. There was a wall behind it. Then, I saw something odd. What I assumed to be a faerie flew right behind the waterfall! I looked puzzled as it flew back out. Once again, it flew out and back in. I checked it again. Nothing but wall. Before it could fly through again, I asked it how it was able to do that. It giggled and replied, 'If you know it's there, it'll let you through! The Great Faerie is picky as to who gets through!' It flew in again. _This is it, _I thought. I once again stepped under the waterfall. I placed my hands against the wall. I silently whispered, 'This is it. I know it is. I'll make it through, and defeat this thing inside of me. I will use the power of the Waterfall of Wishing!' I stepped through the wall, now able to, and found myself in a cave with a pool in front of me. I stared into it and saw the Great Faerie before me. The stories were true. Her beauty was beyond words. I...can't even explain it. Anyway, she then spoke to me in a soft voice, 'Warrior, I see in you a dark evil. I can feel your thoughts, and sense your troubles. Do you wish for me to ease you of these pains inside you? Let me warn you, though, there will be a consequence of the action.' I though about it, then replied, 'I don't care about the consequence. I want whatever this is to be gone.' She summoned all of her power, and expelled the evil inside of me. I'm not exactly sure what had happened. I saw black. I blinked, and saw a shadow verson of myself appear. It unsheathed it's sword and charged for me. Then, it vanished in a puff of smoke. When I could see again, I was still in the fountain. The faerie said one last thing before departing. 'You have been given the power you desire to defeat the evil which was inside of you. But you must live with the consequence of your actions.' I nodded and left. I looked outside and saw the Symbol of the Shadow Force in the lake. I looked up and saw it in the sky with it's evil, 'gaze', so to speak. I also saw the figure that looked like me on top of it. They vanished, and I knew it wasn't over. With my newfound abilities, I headed for home, but while inbetween the dimensions, I saw it head for you guys. I knew it needed to be stopped, so I decided to stop it myself."

Link had a solemnn look on his face. "What exactly was the consequence?" he asked.  
"The evil that was inside me is now free. See, I was restraining it, but now, it's loose, and can do whatever it wants. That being...that other Triest, the Shadow Triest. It's the embodiment of the Shadow Force."  
"So it was inside of you all along?"  
"Yes. Those long years ago when I went to the dark side. That's when it happened. The Shadow Force fused itself within me, and..." Triest looked down.  
"It's OK," Zelda said, "It's gone now. We can beat it! I know we can!"  
Triest sat down on a nearby chair. Then looked up. He gave a weak smile, the said, "Yeah. We'll beat it." He stood up, and walked outside. Link followed close behind. He told Zelda that she should head back to the castle. She agreed and left. Link looked at Triest, who was heading to the east. Presumably to Lake Hylia. He stared at him as he walked off into the distance._ Triest. _He thought, as he ran down to catch up with Triest.

After about 10 minutes, Link caught up with Triest at Lake Hylia. He found him sitting next to a cliff, almost asleep. "Hey, Triest," he said, walking up to him. Triest looked up and greeted him as well. "Triest, what's up?" he said, sitting down next to him.  
"What do you mean? I'm fine," he responded.  
"No, you're not. You just released the evil within you out into the world, but were given the power to destroy it! Not only that, but me and Zelda are here to help! What's with the depression? I'm not understanding it."  
"Link...I...well..."  
"It's that girl from the land, huh? Oh, think I sense something here!" Link shrugged his shoulder and winked.  
"No, not that. She was nice and all, but not really my type." He smiled weakly. "Link...what if I were told you I made the most difficult decision of my life, but wasn't sure if it was right."  
Link had a confused look on his face. "Well," he started, "I'd say that I'm sure you made the right choice. Is there no way to change it, or what? I mean, I don't think you would have made a wrong decision. You're a smart guy! My best friend! you know that."  
"Yeah, I know." Triest got up and started heading back to the house. "C'mon, there's a storm coming in." He pointed at the dark clouds coming in.  
"It looks pretty bad. We'd better hurry. And about your decision, don't stress over it. I'm sure whatever choice you made was right."  
"Ok," Triest said, but as he walked alongside Link, he couldn't get it off his mind. One thought was always in the back of his head.  
_Was it right to surrender my life to save those around me?_


	14. Just Another Day in Hyrule

**_Chapter 14: Just Another Day in Hyrule  
_**Over the course of the next few months, things had slowly gone back to normal. Triest and Link had gone back to their job as the "Swords for Hire of Hyrule." They were actually making more money than ever now. Because of the recent happenings, more mosters had been invading Hyrule. Link and Zelda were closer than ever, and every once in a while, she would join the guys on their missions. Link even had the Lumberjack bros. create a makeshift bow and arrow that he could use. It was attached to the little arm he had left on his right side. He could move it as if he once again had two arms, but it couldn't bend, and he couldn't grab with it. He could easily slam an arrow into it with his left arm then fire it by simply tightening his muscle. He was simply thankful he could once again use his arrows, one of his favorite weapons besides swordplay. Triest had also found himself a girl. Her name was Maria, and she was exactly the right type for Triest. She had long brown hair and brown eyes. Triest custom-designed an armored battlesuit not unlike his own for her to wear, which she was extremely grateful. She carried two small katanas with her. One shined blue and had a snowflake engraving, and the other shined red and had a fire engraving. She always wielded them together, and named them the Frost and Blaze blades, respectively. She wore a tight pair of blue jeans as well. When they first met, Triest thought to himself, "Man, if I were a woman, that would be me!" However, this was only her "adventuring outfit" as she called it. When she was wearing casual clothes, you would never know she was as tough as she was. She normally wore a pair of shorts with a t-shirt, and looked just like any other normal girl about her age. Triest and Maria were a perfect match, and they both knew it, too. Although they never admit it, they deeply care for each other.

"Hey, Triest! Wake up!" Link yelled as he walked into Triest's bedroom. "Man, how things change! Usually it's me who stays in bed all day!" he laughed as Triest slowly got out of bed.  
"Laugh it up, man. Hey, aren't we gonna meet the girls today?" Triest asked, putting on his armor and shirt.  
"Yeah. they said to meet them down at the game corner for the contest tonight." Link replied.  
"Contest? What contest?"  
"The singing contest. Don't you remember?"  
"Oh yeah. 1st prize is 500 rupees! How could I forget!"  
Link smirked, "Yeah. Let's go."  
"But the contest doesn't start for another couple of hours, right?"  
"Doesn't mean we can't hang out with the girls!" Link grinned and walked out the door, and headed toward Hyrule Castle. Triest said he'd meet him at the game corner in time for the contest. He eagerly headed over to Maria's house. When he arrived, she was waiting outside her door.  
"What took you so long?" she asked.  
"Uhh...I took the long way..." Triest stuttered.  
"Yeah, right. You slept in, didn't you?"  
"No!"  
"You sure?"  
"Well...maybe just a little..." Maria laughed, as did Triest. Then, he unsheathed his sword, and pushed Maria out of the way with a look of determination on his face. "Look out!" He shouted. He stared into the woods, but nothing was there.  
"Uhh, Triest?" Maria asked.  
"Hmm, but I thought..." Triest muttered to himself, "Maria...did you see anything over there?" he asked as he sheathed his sword.  
"No. Did you?"  
Triest shook his head, then said, "Nah, just seein' things is all! Cmon, let's go find Link and Zelda!"  
"Ok!" She agreed, "Race ya!" she exclaimed as she took off.  
"Wha...got back here!" Triest took aff after her, both of them smiling as they "insulted" each other.

Link and Zelda were waiting at his house for Triest and Maria to show up. They had almost started to head over there when they both arrived, out of breath. "I won!" Maria exclaimed.  
"Yeah right, you wish!" Triest came back  
"I don't wish, I know!" she responded. The two looked at Link and Zelda, who were staring at them both confisingly, then burst out in laughter. Link and Zelda, although confused, couldn't help but to join in. They all headed to Kakariko for the night's contest. While on the way, though, Triest made an interesting comment.  
"Hey, Maria, if you live in Kakariko, right next door to the game corner, why did we have to walk all the way back to my house to pick up Link and Zelda?"  
"Hmm...I don't know..." she responded. Then, Link chimed in  
"Would you rather you come and get us, or would you rather me and Zelda completely lose track of time and forget about the contest?"  
"How would you..." Triest begain, then caught the hint, then chuckled, "I'd rather come and get you guys." They all started laughing, and headed toward the game corner. They soon arrived after the singing contest had started. The contestants could sing whatever they wanted, and they walked into an older man's performance.  
"How do you like me now?! Now that I'm on my way? You still think I'm crazy, for standing here today..." Triest covered his ears, and shouted, "Next!" The crowd laughed and the man stepped off the stage. Not before being a good sport and saying, "Thank you, goodnite!" He was applauded by the crowd for his effort and was given 10 rupees for participating. All four of them were entered, and lucky enough, Link was up next. He was nervous as he could be, but was persuaded by Zelda to enter and do a duet with her. After gaining his composure, they began...  
"I wanted you know, that I'll love the way you live. I wanna hold you high, and steal your pain away. I'll keep your photograph, and I know it serves me well. I wanna hold you high and steal your pain. Cause I'm broken, when I'm lonesome. And I don't feel right, when you're gone away..."  
When the two finished, they recieved a standing ovation for their performance. Link fell to his knees, due to his nervousness, but not before giving Zelda a kiss after the song was over. For all they knew, that's whay they were applauding! They recieved their 10 rupees for participating, and headed back over to their table. As the next few contestants went by, Link asked, "How'd I do? Well," he looked at Zelda, and added, "_we _do?"  
"Not the best I've seen, but not a bad song. Where'd it come from?" Triest asked.  
"Zelda wrote it. I don't know how she does it!" Link responded. Zelda blushed. The announcer called out Maria's name, and she stood up, eager to go.  
"Man, she looks great in her battle outfit! Dont you think?" Triest asked.  
"Dude, why don't you actually, oh, I dunno, _Ask her out?"_ Link replied sarcastically.  
"I...well, I just don't know..."  
"As weird as this sounds, she's a female you! It'll work, trust me," Zelda winked at him. Triest nodded, and they eagerly watched her performance.  
"Hold on, slow down. Again from the top now, and tell me everything. I know I've been gone for what seems like forever, but I'm here now waiting. To convince you that I'm not a ghost or a stranger, but closer than you think. She said just go on to what you pretend is your life, but please don't die on me..."  
The crowd applauded her performance, and Triest, obviously was hollering over the rest of the crowd. She bowed to the crowd, and gave a big smile. Triest was next, and was the last contestant. He stepped up to the stage and begain speaking,  
"This is a song that I wrote. It says alot about who I am, and alot about my past. This song is called, 'I Am All of Me.' I hope you enjoy it.  
"I see no, hear no evil. Black writing's on the wall. Unleash a million faces, and one by one they fall. Black-hearted evil, or brave-hearted hero. I am all I am, all I am. Go ahead and try to see through me. Do it if you dare. One step forward, two steps back, I'm here. Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! Can you see all of me? Walk into my mystery! Step inside, and hold on for dear life. Do you remember me? Capture you or set you free? I am all, and I am all of me!..." As Triest sang this line, Link stood up, and gave him a thumbs up. He knew all that Triest had been through, and what he must be feeling singing this. Next, Zelda stood up, followed by Maria. Triest noticed their gestures, but continued his song. Soon, the whole crowd was on it's feet, and begain singing the chorus with Triest.  
"Can you see all of me? Walk into my mystery, step inside, and hold on for dear life. Do you remember me? Capture you or set you free? I am all, I am all of me." He finished. Triest recieved a standing ovation for his performance, but when he went to recieve his 500 rupee prize, he looked out a nearby window, and his eyes widened. "No...no! It can't be!" he unsheathed his sword, and his look changed from fear to determination. Link could sense Triest's fear, and looked out the window as well. He also had a look of shock over his face. He looked at Triest, who already was ready to go. They both nodded to each other. They headed outside, swords in hands, and prepared to face off.


	15. A New Motive

**_Chapter 15: A New Motive  
_**Link and Triest looked at each other and started at the figure before them. The crowd from the game corner were huddled around the windows and door to see what was going on. The figure that stood before them all. It was a man. With glowing red eyes, it stood the same height as Link. It's body was completely black and had a black aura surrounding it. It seemed to be smoking off of his body. He had a shield attached to his back, as well as a sword holster.  
"Link?" Triest glanced at him.  
"Yeah?" he responded.  
"That's not me over there."  
"I know. It's me."  
There was a silence as the figure pulled out what looked like an ocarina. He then played an odd tune on it. The sound was filled with evil as it filled the air. The symbol of the Shadow Force, then appeared on the ground. The figure vanished, but the mark remained, and the sound of the dark ocarina's tune echoed throughout the night. Link was confused.  
"Triest? What just happened?" he asked. No response. "Triest? What's up man?" Triest simply stood there, eyes locked on the mark on the Shadow Force.  
"Link, I need your ocarina." Triest said flatly.  
"Uhh, Ok. Why?" Link asked, handing it to Triest.  
"I'm gonna find out just what we're up against," he said, then stood in the mark. He started playing the same tune that was being heard. The mark started to glow white, and it shifted to the Mark of the Triforce. Triest's eyes grew white as he continued playing.  
"That's it!" Link exclaimed. He pulled out his old Fairy Ocarina and ran over by Triest and started playing as well. The light shone even stronger as the two continued. Then, the Shadow Link and Shadow Triest appeared before them playing the same song on their darkened ocarinas. The sky was in a conflict. Half was light, and half was dark. The people were confused, then Zelda stepped forward.  
"It's a battle of spirit. They're in a deep inner conflict with each other." She looked at the strain in the eyes of Link. He was having the most difficulty. _I only wish I knew exactly what was going on_. She thought to herself.

Link and Triest found themselves in a strange battlefield. It had a completely transparent floor with what looked like an engraving of the Triforce and the Shadow Force in the middle facing different directions. The area around them was conflicting. Dark clouds were moving quickly as light attempted to shine through. Triest and Link looked around. Link unsheathed his sword and grabbed his shield. Triest unsheathed his sword.  
"Triest?" Link asked.  
"Yeah? What's up?" Triest asked.  
"What's wrong with this picture?" Link asked.  
"I dunno. Are you using your right hand or something?" Triest remarked.  
"Yes. As a matter of fact, I am." Link responded.  
"So then, what's the problem? Wait..." Triest double-taked at Link. "How'd you get your arm back?"  
"I dunno, but let's hope it's permanent." Link looked across the field to see the two shadow figures form.  
"Welcome, Gentlemen, to your final resting place," The Shadow Triest said.  
"Alright, where are we?" Triest demanded. The Shadow Link smirked and replied,  
"We're still playing the Ocarina. That song that you're playing. It's the 'Sonnet of Shadows'. Whoever plays it is sent here, to this arena. It is a battle of the spirits, of your willpower. I'd rather not say what happens to the losers..." A light arrow whizzed by the Shadow's head. Link had a determined look in his eye.  
"Enough talk. Let's do this." Link and Triest both charged their shadow counterparts and met in close quarters combat. Swords were clashing and sparks were flying as they fought. Link jumped back and smacked his counterpart with his boomerang. Triest had knocked his sword out his counterpart's hands, and was slowly slashing away at it's shadowy body. Little by little, Triest hacked away at his counterpart. With it's last bit of strength, the Shadow Triest had this to say.  
"It's not over. Not by a longshot." The shadow vanished, but Triest turned around to see the Shadow Link drive his sword into Link. Link fell to the ground, grasping the blade.  
"LINK!" Triest ran over to Link as fast as he could. Then they both found each other back at the game corner. The shadows were gone. Link's arm was gone as well. But now, the mark of the Shadow Force was found on Link's forehead. Triest saw it, and was in shock.  
"Link...No. I'm...sorry... Link felt a rush to his head. He put hid hand on his forehead and fell to the ground. Zelda shrieked, and rushed to his side. She looked at Triest. Triest looked to the sky. It was black from the two Shadows. He looked at Zelda, and tears came to his eyes.  
"Triest, what's wrong? What's going to happen to Link?" She said with worry in her voice.  
"Zelda..." He looked at Link, then at Zelda. "No. This wasn't supposed to happen! NO!"  
"Triest? What's going on? What wasn't supposed to happen?" Zelda asked.  
"Zelda... grab Link. It's gonna be a long story." Triest opened a hole that led to their house, and they walked through, with Triest holding Link.

"Zelda, what if I told you I made the most difficult decision of my life, but wasn't sure if I made the right choice." Zelda's eyes widened with worry. "I reached the waterfall in the Golden Land, and was given the power to have the evil within me expelled, but at a great consequence. I was going to lose that most precious to me to protect those around me. My life, or so I thought. Link is alive, but if I can't defeat these fiends, there is no guarantee about his survival."  
"How could you tamper with your friend's lives like that!" Zelda exclaimed.  
"No. I had every intention of protecting you both. I had no idea..."  
"Liar! Nobody's closer to you than Link, and you knew it!"  
"That's why I made the decision I made. I couldn't stand the evil inside me slowly taking me over. I didn't want to attack him again. I didn't want to attack you!"  
"If you knew about the power of what was inside you, you wouldn't have released it. You would have..."  
"Not even I knew what was inside of me! Don't you get it? I have the power to beat them! I can..."  
"So why don't you?" Tears were pouring down Zelda's face. "If you can beat them, why don't you?"  
Triest looked down. He didn't know how to answer the question. He walked out of the house, and looked toward Death Mountain. Zelda ran outside. Triest ripped open another hole leading to Death Mountain's Tower of Hera. He looked at Zelda, the spoke, "When I win, I die." He stepped through the portal without looking back, and prepared to face the power of the Shadow Force.


	16. Facing Destiny

**_Chapter 16: Facing Destiny  
_**Link was speechless when he heard the news from Zelda. "He'll...die? If...he...wins?" Link said weakly.  
"Yes. Unfortunately," Zelda responded. Link turned away weakly. He had been staying at Maria's house since he contracted the strange illness supposedly caused by the mark on his forehead. Everyone was worried about him and Triest equally.  
"So, no matter the outcome, Triest is going to die..." Maria added glumly.  
"Don't talk like that! He'll make it out somehow! I know he will..." Zelda said. She felt Link grab her hand. She turned around, and he shook his head. Zelda shook hers. "Link, he'll make it. I know he will." Maria walked outside. Night had fallen over Hyrule, although it was difficult to tell through the clouds that now covered the land. She looked to the sky and thought to herself,  
_Triest. You had better come back...I...we still have things to talk about..._Just then, Zelda walked out.  
"Maria, you OK?" she asked.  
"Yeah, I'm fine," Maria sighed.  
"No, you're lying," Zelda said.  
"No, I'm not."  
"Yes, you are. You miss him, don't you?"  
"Well, yeah. Don't you?"  
"You miss him more than me, though. Am I right?"  
Maria turned away, and looked down.  
"I...I..." she stuttered.  
"It's Ok. You can admit it when you're ready. Trust me, He feels the same about you."  
Maria's eyes widened. "You sure?"  
"Yes." Maria smiled, and the two headed back inside.  
"Zelda...Triest...anything else...?" Link weakly asked.  
"He told me the whole story. The power, the consequence, but nothing more," Zelda responded.  
"The drawer...something inside..." Link tried to point out the window.  
"At your house?" Maria asked. Link nodded, and she headed over Link's house.  
"Note...in drawer...from...when we first met. You need...to read it. It's...a promise...he made...after the incident...He'll carry it through...no matter what...the outcome." Link's voice dropped to little more than a whisper. Maria soon came back with a folded piece of paper. She handed it to Zelda, who began to read it out loud...  
"My past has been discovered. I was supposedly born an instrument of the dark side. I was taken over by it temporarily, but that will never happen. Right now, on top of this tower, the Tower of Hera, I do proclaim. Upon the wound I have created on my hand, that I will never again become an instrument of darkness. I will do absolutely anything it takes to overcome any obstacle that's before me, and vow that never again will I be overcome by evil, and will prevent it by any means necessary."  
Silence filled the room.  
"So, he's willing to go all the way..." Maria started to cry.  
"Triest...Once he sets...his mind...on a goal...He will do anything...absolutely anything...to make it a reality. He searched for seven years...before finding the secret of his past."  
"Triest...you idiot. You...idiot." Maria mumbled under her breath.

Triest soon arrived at Death Mountain. He looked over the land of Hyrule, knowing he wouldn't see it again. Triest gave a big sigh, and knew he had to get back there, to where the shadows were hidden, but he didn't know where to go. Triest knew the mountain like the back of his hand, maybe even better, and if there was one place that he felt most comfortable, it was on the top of the Tower of Hera. He decided he should head back to the Tower and play the Sonnet of Shadows. If anything, that would be the best bet. He slowly headed past the falling boulders, and reached the ladder to Spectacle Rock. He reminisced about the past, and thought about the future. He walked toward the Tower slowly, almost as if he was forcing his body to go. Triest knew what he had to do, but knew what the consequence was. Even though the evil within was separate from him, it was still him. The Shadow Force was apart of him, whether he liked it or not. It was a harsh fact learned when he reached the Golden Land. The fairy mentioned this consequence to him, but Triest knew that he had to kill the evil within before it killed everything he loved. Before making his decision, he stated, "There's no point in living if you have no one to live it with."

Triest slowly started climbing the outside of the Tower of Hera. He once again had to force himself. It seemed as though his body was beginning to shut down. His brain and his heart were in conflict as to what he should do. Triest followed what he believed, and pressed forward. Once he made it to the top of Tower of Hera, he looked at the roof below him. When he first climbed up here, he engraved his name into the ground and wrote, "I am...All of Me!" Commemorating his triumph over the evil which had possessed him. He had also taken a blood oath to never let it happen again. He removed his glove and looked at the back of his hand, showing a scar.  
_I made a promise I intend to keep. Regardless of the outcome. _He pulled out a piece of paper, and wrote a quick message on it, and used a stake to hold in on the top of the tower. _Now, it's time. I will never return. There's...no turning back. _Triest pulled out the Ocarina of Time he still had from before, played the Sonnet of Shadows one more time, and vanished in a cloud of black smoke.

Triest found himself in the same battlefield of the spirits he was in earlier, except this time, there was a path leading to...somewhere. He also felt different. He felt more whole that the last time. _Maybe now, I really am here. _He slowly walked along the pathway, focusing on the goal. There was nothing ahead that could be seen. After a while, he was uncertain he was even moving. The battlefield vanished from his sight, and besides the fact he could see his legs moving, he was uncertain that he was reaching anywhere. The background was filled with the same scene. Light attempting to break through dark clouds. Already in a depressed mood, this only made things worse. He then looked ahead, and saw what appeared to be a castle in front of him. _Heh. Figures. _Triest remarked, as he started running toward the castle. Soon, it came into complete focus. He approached the door, then stepped inside. The room was pitch black. He heard the door close behind him, eliminating the little bit of light he had. He looked around in a hurry, but could see nothing. Then, he heard a voice.  
"Welcome, Triest. Glad to see that you made it."  
Triest looked up and saw the Shadow Force form above him. It was black as the night, giving off a dark blue aura providing barely enough light to be seen. In front of him, he saw the shadow version of himself materialize. Triest unsheathed his sword. The Shadow Triest chuckled.  
"Always the violent one, aren't you? Heh. I'd imagine your friend Link knows that." Triest squinted his eyes, then said in a low voice,  
"You leave him out of this." He clenched the sword tighter as he got into stance.  
"On the contrary, he's more apart of this than you know! You see, that little mark you saw on him? That was a curse! If you die, he dies." The Shadow Triest gave an evil smile as Triest's eyes widened. "Heh. What are you going to do now, _hero_? Heh."  
"I told you. This is beween you and me." Triest once again stated.  
"I guess you're right. Then again, it was thanks to you that I exist!"  
"What do you mean? Tell me!" Triest demanded.  
"The Shadow Force was becoming unstable. It needed a host, so to speak. And it turns out you were the lucky winner. Congratulations!" The demon laughed.  
"That's not funny. The Shadow Force picked the wrong host. It picked one that will fight back." The Shadow Triest unsheathed his sword as well. The two stared as each other. The darkness around them seemed to shatter like glass, and they appeared on top of a large tower overlooking an endless ocean. A storm was raging, but they didn't seem to notice.  
"This is where we'll finish it!" Triest said.  
"Yes. Soon, you'll be no more, and evil will rule."  
"Somehow, I doubt that." The two charged at each other, and the final battle began!


	17. The Battle Begins

**_Chapter 17: The Battle Begins  
_**The wind was whipping the rain in a tornadolike fashion. It was cold, and it was wet. But Triest didn't care. He charged at his dark counterpart at full speed, slashing his sword clean through it's body when they arrived. Triest quickly turned around and saw the smoky being reform, and smirk at him. "You'll have to do better then that!" It said, then hurled a lump of dark energy at Triest, who deflected it with his sword. Once again, Triest charged, and failed. _There's got to be something that can faze him..._ Triest thought, watching it reform again. Once again, the Shadow Triest laughed. It hurled another dark energy at him, but this time, Triest ran for it, then used his sword to hurl it back at the enemy. Dark electricity crackled when it collided with the Shadow Triest, and Triest chuckled.  
"Sorry," Triest remarked.  
"Don't be," It said back. Triest stepped back as the Shadow Triest increased in size by a couple inches.  
Triest immediately backed off. _Ok, bad idea, _he thought.  
"What's the matter? Afraid? Maybe you've given up? Wait, I know you've given up. Heh," The Shadow Triest slashed his sword and a dark wave of energy expanded in front of him. Triest had nowhere to run, and took the shockwave head on, but all was not lost. He slowly got back up from the impact, then pulled out his projectile weapon. It was mainly a brownish color and had two indentations on the barrel for releasing extra energy or heat. The Shadow Triest pulled out his, too. It was generally the same, but was black and could only fire shaow energy.  
"Hey, I have that too," It remarked. Triest Smiled,  
"But I doubt yours can do this!" He inserted a small shell into the barrel of the weapon, and pulled the trigger. Red energy started shining out of the indentations as it unleashed a wave of shining red energy directly at the Shadow Triest! The Shadow fired his as well, but the shadow energy fired from it wasn't nearly as powerful, and was quickly consumed. Triest cringed. He had been hurt without getting touched, but he simply smiled. "Heh. Gotcha," he said. He ran forward while switching his weapons, then leaped up, driving his sword through the Shadow Triest's chest! It screamed out in pain, but was able to push Triest off. It got up and said,  
"An impressive weapon you have there."  
"Thanks. I call it the 'Shadowshot'. Kinda ironic because it doesn't just shoot dark energy. It shoots whatever's in the shell I put into it," Triest explained.  
"Heh, not bad for something you made yourself," the Shadow Triest closed his eyes and chuckled. Triest took the moment to start charging him, but the Shadow Triest anticipated that move, and blocked Triest's sword strike with one of his own. The two stepped back, and began exchanging sword blows. Both Triest and his shadow took major damage. Triest backed off, then removed his armor protection. He had cuts all along his arm and face. The Shadow Triest looked unharmed, but Triest knew he was injured as well.  
"Removing your armor? Heh. You really want to die, don't you?" The Shadow Triest ramarked.  
"Let's just say it was slowing me down." Triest replied.  
"Heh, weighted, huh? In any case, you'll wish you had never done that!" The Shadow Triest charged this time, but Triest quickly sidestepped at the last second. He looked around in surprise to see Triest pointing hs Shadowshot at him. Once again, a shot was fired, but this time, blue energy overtook the Shadow Triest. Triest once again grasped his chest, feeling the pain of Shadow Triest. He started to breath heavily and thought, _Hmm, this time, he's linked directly to the Shadow Force. So if I win, it's over. But...I don't know how much longer I can keep this up!_

The Smoke cleared, and both Triest and his Shadow were slowly catching their breath.  
"Heh, I thought you didn't breath!" Triest remarked.  
"Shut up," the Shadow responded.  
"Well then, now I can say you soon will take your last breath!" Triest once again charged for the Shadow, who sidestepped him, but Triest quickly turned around, and slashed the being in half. He jumped back and prepared another Shadowshot as the Shadow reformed, but was too slow, and the Shadow Triest punched it out of his hands. It slid across the wet tower floor and stopped only a foot away from the edge.  
"Lost your big adventage, did you?" It smirked.  
"Not quite," Triest said. He jumped back and unsheathed his sword. He held it in the air, like a lightning rod.  
"You fool! You're gonna be fried by the lightning! Have you finally given up?" The Shadow Triest yelled.  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have. I've given up on this sword. Time for an upgrade!" As Triest said that, lightning Struck the blade, but instead of it traveling through Triest, the blade started to glow white as the lightning began to circle around it.  
"Say hello to the Light Blade," Triest smiled as the lightning faded. The sword glowed bright white and shined even brighter than before. Triest once again charged for the Shadow Triest, this time, he wasn't able to slice him in half. This time, Triest only created what looked like a gash on the side of his Shadow. It screamed out in pain, but more in disbelief that he was injured that much by that blade. Triest smirked, and remarked, "Ohh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" As he finished, he pulled out his Shadowshot once more. He inserted a white capsule, and readied fire. The Shadow Triest stood straight into the barrel, but couln't move. This was it, it was over! Triest pulled the trigger, but his eyes widened when the rays of extra energy that were released were black instead of white! It fired a massive dark wave of energy at the Shadow. The sky was filled with dark lightning as the Shadow Triest absorbed the energy. _How? How did that get there? I didn't make any dark ones? Where...wait... _Triest flashbacked to one of his adventures with Link to one of the worlds they had visited. He had purchased the shell from an odd man claiming to come from the future. He had red hair and scars on his arms, but he stayed hidden mostly in the shadows. Triest was curious as to if it would work in the Shadowshot, but was warned that it wasn't what it seemed to be. Triest quickly grabbed another shell and noticed his insignia ingraved on another white shell. _No! I grabbed the wrong one! _Triest looked in shock and horror at the beast that now stood before him. Shadow Triest had transformed into an even bigger enbodiment of evil than before! With two hulking arms and legs, his back hunched over, and looked as though dark chains now hung from it's wrists. It's head was severely deformed, and looked reminiscent of a demon. It's eyes were glowing red as ever, and what looked like his hair flowed down his back and slightly in front of its back. Triest lookd in horror as the being spoke in a dark, gruff voice,  
"Heh. Triest, welcome to your last hour!"


	18. Solemn Judgement

**_Chapter 18: Solemn Judgement_**  
Triest looked in fear at the figure before him. _What on earth is that? How can I beat it? _He quickly pulled out his collection of shells. He had two left. One white, and one green. _The white shell. Energy in it's most pure form. That'll be the finisher, but I had better weaken him first._ He loaded his Shadowshot with the green shell, and waited for an opening. The beast in front yelled out a loud howl as it's huge arms swept the field, taking Triest along with it. He quickly spring up on his feet, then climbed up the beast's arm. He ran across it like it were the floor itself. The Shadow waved it's arm about, trying to shake Triest loose, but he hung on with all his might. He then remembered the lumberjack bros. They gave Link those arrows, and Triest had kept a couple of them on his person. He pulled them out. The Shadow's arm was raised high in the air. Triest dangled by one arm, but retaining his grip. With his other arm, he held onto the arrows and removed the arrowheads. He then stuck the arrowheads through the bottoms of his footwear, creating a makeshift cleat in each shoe. Triest jammed his foot into the beast's arm. The beast screamed out in pain as it's arm slammed against the ground. Triest slowly continued his way up the arm with the beast howling with each step. Eventually, he made it to what he thought was the body. It was, in actuality, simply a large mass of darkness. He then looked to the left to see the other hand preparing to flatten him! He jumped out of his boots and landed on the ground nearby as the Shadow smashed its own arm. Triest pulled out his Shadowshot, then opened fire on the mass of energy. It seemed to blow apart like smoke, revealing the main weak point of the beast. Inside it was the Shadow Force itself!

Triest's eyes widened, _This is it! Now's my chance! _He quickly loaded the white shell and prepared to fire, but the opening soon sealed. _Dang...that was it...I'm not gonna get another shot! _Triest quickly ran back, avioding the flailing arms of the demon before him. He ran barely out of reach, only feet away from the edge of the tower, and began to think, "Ok, I need to hit the Shadow Force with the White Shell, but how? I have nothing else that can wound it, and there is no way in heck I'm gonna let that thing eat me. There's gotta be something. C'mon! Think, Triest, think!" As soon as he said that, one of the beast's arms swatted him back into the center of the tower. _What? I was outta range!_ Triest took another direct hit. He landed face first this time and skid across the tower. The right side his face was red from the injuries he'd sustained. _Dang! I'm missing something. I will find it, though! Wait..._ Triest noticed that the energy flowing around the demon's eyes was flowing differently. _That's it... _He unsheathed his sword, and began to fight off the massive hands' frontal asssault. The left tried to sweep his feet, but Triest quickly leaped up and stabbed it with his sword. The right then attempted to swat him, but he ducked leaving his sword stuck straight in the air. The beast howled in pain, giving Triest the opportunity to run up once again to its "face" He stabbed each of its glowing red eyes out, causing it to howl out again, then, Triest saw his opening. He pulled out his Shadowshot, and readied fire, but was grabbed by one of it's hands. He yelled out in pain as it crushed him. He heard bones snap and knew it was now or never. He grasped his sword, stabbed the hand, and landed right between it's eyes. With his sword in his left hand, and his Shadowshot pointed at the beast, Triest's life flashed before his eyes. He suddenly remembered the words of Link soon after he met. "Life is a drag, and it'll always try to screw with you. Overcome that obstacle, and you will rule your destiny." He thought of Maria, Link, and Zelda, stared at the beast and said in a determined, solemn tone. "This is it. This is the end. There's...No turning back." He pulled the trigger, and white energy engulfed them both...

Link had been struggling in his sleep for the past two hours, saying, "Triest" over and over again, and Zelda and Maria were getting worried. He then screamed out in pain as black smoke started coming off of him.  
"Link! Link! What's going on!" He hugged him close, then saw the mark vanish off of his forehead.  
"Triest..." she whispered.  
"He did it. He won!" Maria exclimed, but her tone soon went solemn as she realized, "But that means..."  
Link slowly got out of bed, free from the curse and now at full strength, and stepped outside. A slight breeze was blowing, and he noticed the black clouds drifting away. Link sighed, then stood erect, and gave his friend a salute.  
"Triest..." he said softly. Maria and Zelda slowly walked outside and stood beside him. They all hugged, then stood side-by-side, Zelda holding Link's hand. Link took a deep breath, and said, "Triest...You were a friend. You surrendered your life for us; for everyone in Hyrule and the world. You were a friend to me, and to everyone here. You have done great things, but this act of bravery now proves exactly what I thought from the beginning. You are a hero. No. You are more than a hero, Triest. I dont know what to call you, but the best friend I ever knew. Goodbye, my friend." Tears were pouring down their faces. Link then snatched a piece of paper ne noticed being blown around, and opened it. Tears started streaming down his face as he silently read it to himself...

_"My name is Triest. These are my final words. I have lived an eventful life, and have no regrets. I have made great friends, and don't want anything to happen to them anymore. Link. He lost his arm because of me. Zelda. She almost got killed because of me. Maria. I don't want her to get caught up in any of this. As I depart on this journey, let it be known that I am doing this for them, and the land I have grown to love. The friends I know, and the people I don't. I'm sorry for all the trouble that I caused. I'm sorry for everything that has happened. I have only one final wish. As I stand on the Tower of Hera writing this, make my final wish come true. Please. Don't forget...what we had."_


	19. Epilogue

**_Epilogue  
_**Triest is long gone, but his memory will never be forgotten. A year after Triest's death, Link and Zelda visit a familiar place to carry on the memory of an old friend. Now wed, they both share the same feelings for the person they both lost in their lives. Atop the Tower of Hera, they look out over the land of Hyrule, remembering the times spent with Triest. Before they leave, Link pulls out a dagger. He carves some words into the top of the tower and slits the top of his wrist. He tears off some of his tunic, wraps it around the blade of the dagger, and slams it straight up into the ground. He looks at Zelda momentarily and begins to speak...  
"Triest, you were a good person and an even greater friend. Upon this blood oath, you memory will never be forgotten. The deeds you have accomplished will remain in our hearts and in the hearts of generations to come. This, I swear." Link looks at Zelda with fire burning in his eyes. She is knelt down, tears in her eyes, praying for Triest's soul. "Come on Zelda. Let's go home." She gets up and nods.  
"Thank you Triest," she whispers to herself, "Thank you for giving this land peace. May your rest be a peaceful one." They slowly climbed town the tower, and when they reached the bottom, a slight breeze began blowing. It circled around them a bit and then vanished. Link and Zelda looked at each other, smiled, and walked hand-in-hand into the sunset.


End file.
